Room for Rent
by xDaniellax
Summary: Still recovering from a betrayal by the ones they cared for, Kagome and Sesshoumaru will find more than just a roommate in one another. Realizing that they share the same pain and understanding, they embark on a new chapter in their lives together.
1. Deceivers of the Heart

A/N: Fans of "The Asylum" need not be worried. This is just something that I came up with to work on when I'm having bits of writers block. It's not going to be as involved or original as Asylum but hey, everyone gets block once in a while. I hope you enjoy it though, I know I'm having fun writing it! Reviews are always appreciated!

Sitting on the couch in her best friend's living room, Kagome Higurashi stared blankly at the TV in front of her. She was fighting the urge to break down and sob hysterically into her pillow. 5 years. 5 years of her life that she could never get back and it was all for nothing. She dedicated herself to _him_ completely and what did he do with it? He chewed it up, spit it out and threw it in her face. His promises of love and devotion that had once soothed her and brought a smile to her face were now met with revulsion and loathing. When she thought of the sweet words whispered during the quiet nights of unbridled passion made her physically sick to her stomach. Just thinking his name brought indescribable pain to her head. _Kouga_! Kami, she really was a fool. She had succumbed to his charms from the moment she met him so long ago and it didn't take long for her to fall head over heels for the man. He was intelligent, incredibly handsome and he genuinely seemed to care for her. It took less than two months for him to convince her to move in and only another month to get her to drop her pants and give her body to him freely. Kagome had always been very protective of her status as a virgin. Sure, at 23 it wasn't always something that a person would be proud of but she always told herself that when the right person came along she would know and it would be alright. She thought that person was Kouga. She loved him with every part of her soul and she was under the impression that he felt the same.

The first 4 years of their relationship were like a fairy tale. He spoiled her, treated her like a princess and always indulged in her greatest fantasies. Her friends and family all commented on how they were such a wonderful couple and that they were perfect together. Perfect. If they only knew. While on the outside they appeared to be happy and content and the latest rumor was that Kouga would be proposing before the year was over, internally things were not going as well as people believed. Kagome had noticed a drastic change in his personality in the last year and it was something that was hard to ignore. First, there were many late nights at the office. She understood that he was a very busy man and that his job was very important to him but he never failed to be home on time in the past. The first few times it happened Kagome didn't pay much attention. She believed him when he said that an extremely important business deal was in the works and he would be putting in some extra hours. She just smiled at him and wished him all the luck she could in the venture and went about her life like it was nothing.

The next thing she noticed was his rapidly waning interest in actually going out with her. Whenever she suggested that they go out to dinner or see a movie or Kami forbid, visit some of their friends he would claim that he was exhausted and that he just wanted to spend the night at home. While it was odd at first since he was never shy about taking her to some of the best restaurants in town, she pushed it to the back of her mind and gave him the benefit of the doubt.

It wasn't until their already shrinking sex life came to a grinding halt that Kagome began to think that something was seriously wrong with their relationship. He stopped calling her to see how her day was. He didn't seem to care that he was never around and when she called his office to let him know that her grandfather had passed away he told her that he was working late and she would just have to cope on her own. He knew how important her grandfather was to her but none of that seemed to matter. He came _home_ long after she went to bed, if he came home at all, and was always gone before she was awake the following day. He was a stranger to her and she didn't like it.

After 8 months of being ignored, neglected and made to feel like she was nothing to him, Kagome made the choice to confront him.

_Kagome sighed when the familiar 30 story office building came into view. The walk from the small bookshop downtown that she worked at wasn't too far and the nighttime spring air was refreshing. She tried to let the calmness of the night fill her but she knew that it wasn't going to happen. She was tired of pretending everything was alright and that she wasn't hurting. Tonight, she would confront Kouga and get the answers she felt she was due._

_Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and made her way down the hall towards the elevator. When she stepped inside, she pressed the button for the top floor and sat back against the wall. Kagome tried to organize her thoughts and map out everything she was going to say to him. She knew that he was probably going to be angry with her for just showing up at his office but he was never home anymore. She couldn't remember the last time she woke up with him next to her. He even made excuses to be gone on the weekends. If he didn't want to be with her anymore then he should just come out and tell her; she was tired of him stringing her along._

_More quickly than she realized, the door to the top floor opened and Kagome found that her resolve was faltering. _Maybe I shouldn't have come here_ she thought for a moment. Shaking her head, she decided to press forward. There were lights on at the end of the hall indicating that he was still in his office. Absently, Kagome glanced over to the desk where his secretary Satomi usually sat. Why she decided to look over there she had no idea but she did it anyway. There was a tan, feminine jacket lying atop a dark purse. Kagome felt her heart clench a little at the thought that they were both here late. She refused to believe that Kouga would be so low as to sleep with another woman. _

_A noise from the end of the hall drew her attention to the door leading to Kouga's office. The blinds were drawn so she couldn't see inside but there were definitely two people in there if the muffled voices she was hearing gave any clue. Her heart began to beat faster as she closed the distance between herself and the door. She placed her hand on the door knob and was about to turn the handle when a loud moan drifted to her ears. She stilled and waited as the voices became clearer._

"_Oh, just like that baby!" a woman's voice sounded through the door._

"_You like that don't you? You like my cock in you don't you? Tell me how much you like it when I fuck you?" a male voice answered._

"_Oh Kami, fuck me Kouga!"_

_Kagome's eyed widened and she took a few steps back. He wouldn't...he wouldn't be so cruel as to betray her that way. She felt the first few tears slip down her cheeks before she could stop them. Without thinking, Kagome stormed forward and threw the door open. _

_The scene before her was enough to break her heart and cause her to be furious at the same time. There he was, naked as the day he was born with his equally naked secretary sprawled out on his desk while he fucked her senseless. They were so engrossed in what they were doing that they didn't even notice she had walked in. Fury like she had never felt before welled up inside her while the tears of her heartbreak poured freely from her eyes._

"_You bastard!" she screamed causing both individuals to cease their movements immediately._

"_Kag-Kagome? What are you doing here?" Kouga asked breathlessly_

"_Finding out what has been keeping you at the office apparently." she spit._

"_Kagome…I…"_

"_Shut up! I can't believe you! What have I done to you to deserve this? I gave you everything, Kouga and this is how you repay me? Of all the reasons I came up with for your distance this past year I never once believe you could be capable of something like this."_

_She turned to walk away but was stopped when Kouga grabbed onto her arm._

"_Kagome…wait…let me explain" he pleaded._

_Wrenching her arm from his grasp she slapped him hard across the face._

"_Don't you EVER touch me again!" she yelled before she tore from the office building and ran._

Kagome was brought out of the unpleasant trip down memory lane when the front door opened. Kagome smiled at Sango and got off the couch to grab a few of the bags that she was balancing precariously in both her arms.

"Thanks!" Sango exhaled once she was through the door.

"Why didn't you call me? I would have come down to help you."

"Eh, I got it. Besides, I thought Miroku would be home in time to help me but he's stuck in traffic."

Once inside, the two friends set about putting away all of the groceries and starting dinner. Sango went to change while Kagome kept herself busy in the kitchen.

"So how was work today?" Sango yelled from the bedroom.

"It was alright. Busy. We got a huge shipment in today so most of my day was spent cataloguing everything and getting it up on the shelves. But, it kept my mind busy so I wasn't thinking about…other things" Kagome replied sadly.

"Don't think about that asshole a minute longer Kagome. He's not worth your tears. If I could get my hands on him I swear he would wish he was never born."

"Sango, if he's not worth my tears he's definitely not worth you going to jail for."

"I know but it would still make me happy to know he got what was coming to him."

Kagome smiled and shook her head. Sango was way too protective of her sometimes but she wouldn't have it any other way.

"Sango?" she called out.

"Yeah?"

"I…I'm going to need to get the rest of my stuff soon" she said quietly.

"Well, you know Miroku and I will go with you and we'll find a good storage facility for anything that doesn't fit here." she replied as she stepped out of the bedroom and sat at the kitchen table.

"No…I mean…I need to get my stuff and…find a place of my own."

"Kagome, you know you can stay here as long as you want. We don't mind having you."

"I know Sango, I know but…You and Miroku are newlyweds and as much as you say that it doesn't bother you both that I'm here I know that you guys want your private time. It's not fair to you two and it's time I stood on my own two feet. I've been hiding here for almost 2 months now and I can't keep letting this hold me back."

"Whatever you decide, Miroku and I will support you, you know that. My only question is; how are you going to afford a decent place on your own?"

Kagome shrugged and stared off at the wall.

"I'll take a second job if I have to. Sango I _need_ to do this. Kouga was my security for so long. I didn't have to worry about anything when I was with him. I used to be a very independent person until he came along. He took care of everything for me and I never had to worry. I need to move on with my life."

Sango smiled; there was the friend that she remembered.

"I'll bring a paper home tomorrow so you can start looking"

"Thanks Sango, you're the best."

"Ahh! How hard is it to find an affordable apartment in this damn city?" Kagome yelled as she listened to yet another potential apartment turned her down.

For two weeks she had been trolling the paper and internet in search of a new place to live. The only ones she could afford were in a less desirable part of town and she refused to go down that road. She had hoped that the fact that she did earn a decent wage, the fact that she had excellent credit, and that she lived alone would be enough to convince some of the nicer places to rent to her but they all turned her down. She was beginning to think that she would be living with Sango and Miroku till she was and old woman.

"Well, maybe this is a sign that you should stay a little longer" Miroku told her while they sat on the couch.

"You know I can't Miroku so please don't argue with me on this."

"We're not arguing, Kagome we just want you to be sure you're doing the right thing" Sango interjected.

Kagome said nothing and continued to peruse the paper. Page after page was the same thing; the same places she had already called. She was about to give up and go for a nice long walk when her eyes landed on an ad at the back of the paper that she hadn't seen before.

**Room for Rent:**

**Looking to share a spacious, 3 bedroom apartment. Individual must be neat, employed and submit to a background check. Individual will split the rent and utilities. Must be a non-smoker with no pets, preferably male. Serious inquiries only may contact this number to set up an appointment.**

Kagome skimmed to the bottom of the page and found the phone number and address. It was close to her job, the area was nice and it was near her favorite park. Completely ignoring the fact that the ad said they were looking for a male roommate, Kagome pulled the page from the back of the paper, circled the ad and ran off to the door.

"Where are you going?" Sango questioned.

"I found…never mind I'll tell you later. I'm going out!" Kagome yelled over her shoulder before she grabbed her coat and disappeared through the door.

Sango and Miroku looked at each other before shrugging; there was no point in trying to understand Kagome sometimes.

~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~

Standing on the balcony of his apartment, Sesshoumaru Ito gazed at the city below. Honestly, how difficult was it to find a responsible adult to share an apartment with? He really didn't _need_ a roommate and he certainly didn't need the extra income. Having a roommate would simply make his life run more smoothly than it did. With all of the travelling he did for work it was impossible to find someone responsible to look after his home while he was gone. He didn't have pets that needed tending but he liked to know that everything was in order and wouldn't come home to some catastrophe.

At 32, he had made a name for himself in the banking industry. He had a knack for spotting investments that were very profitable and enough sense to avoid the ones that were too risky. In the 5 years since his promotion to branch manager the profit margins and increased tenfold. His job was a rewarding one and he was lucky to have landed it. His father had wanted him to join his company when he graduated college but he was determined to make a name for himself without his father's _help_. He never needed his assistance in the past, not like it was available. He was too busy with…other things.

Willing the unnecessary thoughts from his mind, he focused his attentions elsewhere. Unfortunately his train of thought strayed on another unpleasant topic; his lying, conniving, cheating bitch of a girlfriend. _Ex-girlfriend_ he told himself. He really should have seen though her from the beginning but she had charmed him and he fell for it. He knew his reputation as a bit of a ladies' man made it difficult for any chance of a serious relationship with anyone but he really was starting to think that Kagura would be different than the rest. No, he wasn't in love with her but after 2 years he definitely felt more than _affection_ for the woman. She was beautiful and they never failed to pleasure one another but apparently it wasn't enough for her.

_Stepping off the elevator, Sesshoumaru tried to forget the day that he had. Nothing seemed to go his way and he couldn't wait to get home. He ended up so frustrated that he left work 3 hours early just so he wouldn't have to deal with rush hour traffic. All he wanted to do was change his clothes, eat something and pour himself a drink. For once, he wasn't in the mood to go out and he hoped like hell that Kagura didn't want to go out because it was not happening tonight. Sure, she would probably bitch and moan about it but he would make it up to her. Maybe just once he could convince her to cook for him. He liked her a lot, he really did, but sometimes he wondered if she was only with him because of what his last name was, not _who_ he was. Yes, he was the son of the most prominent business man in Tokyo, but he and his father were two different people with different goals and dreams. He enjoyed the wealth and success his position gave him but he would give it all up in a heartbeat if it was for the right reason._

_Sighing, he made the trek down the hallway toward his door. A rare smile touched his lips when he arrived at his destination. He was happy to be home. Pulling his keys from his pocket he slipped the key into the lock and prepared to turn the knob but stopped. The door was already unlocked. He knew Kagura was there; he had seen her car when he pulled in, but that did not explain why the door was open. She knew how paranoid he could be when it came to his home, having been on the receiving end of several lectures when they first started dating. Obviously she needed another reminder._

_Once the door was opened he stepped inside and shut it quickly. He turned and gave a quick look at everything to make sure that nothing was wrong and that was when he heard it. The very distinct and undeniably loud feminine moan that emanated from his bedroom. He would have ignored it; she had been known to pleasure herself in the past when he wasn't around, if he didn't hear an equally loud male groan in response._

_Blind fury and rage filled him as he slipped off his shoes and silently made his way towards _HIS_ bedroom. He could clearly hear the grunting, panting and slapping of skin as he drew closer. He wanted to burst in there and confront her and her _guest_ but he stilled for a moment. An emotion that he wasn't used to was creeping up into him and he was having trouble dealing with it. He was…saddened. It was understandable that he would be upset but sad? No, it must be something else he was feeling. Obviously he would be angry; she was supposed to be his girlfriend. Had he come to care for her enough that he would be saddened by her betrayal? Pushing the thought away and deciding that he would deal with it later, Sesshoumaru stepped forward and threw the door open._

_His eyes immediately landed on the bed where Kagura was propped up on her hands in knees, presenting herself like a bitch in heat to the male whose cock was shoved in her ass. Her eyes widened considerably when she realized who it was that had come through the door._

"_S-Sesshou…what…what are you doing here?" she asked._

"_Need I remind you that _I_ live here, which is more than I can say for you at this point" he replied venomously._

"_Wait, I can explain!"_

"_You honestly expect me to believe there is a valid reason why you have some other man's cock in your ass in MY bed? How long has it been going on? How long have you been fucking him in our-my home?"_

_Kagura lowered her head in shame and he was positive she was trying to force some tears to fall. She wasn't sorry, he knew she wasn't._

"_Get out."_

"_W-what? Can't we talk about this Sesshou?" she tried desperately_

"_Gather your things and leave my home now" he paused to glance at the man who was currently looking at him with disgust "and you, should I ever see your face again know that it will not be a pleasant meeting."_

_The dark haired male only smirked and began to gather his clothing. Sesshoumaru shot one last disgusted glance at Kagura before he left the room._

_He burned the sheets the next day._

Coming out of his thoughts again, Sesshoumaru headed over to the bar to pour himself yet another drink. He had interviewed 8 people as potential roommates and each one had failed his standards miserably. He was very specific in the ad and he was honestly worried about the condition of humanity if they couldn't read a simple thing such as that. 4 of them had been smokers, 2 were former inmates and the last 2 were without jobs. He was starting to think that he should just pull the ad and say 'fuck-it' to finding a roommate. He surmised that he could always ask his brother to look after the place when he went away. That thought gave him a shudder and he quickly dismissed it.

Settling down onto the couch, he prepared himself for another long, lonely evening.

~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~

Kagome was momentarily stunned at the sight of the beautiful building before her. She couldn't believe she was actually considering living here of all places. That thought brought a touch of sadness to her heart; she doubted anyone that lived here would think she was good enough to be a potential roommate. The area was extremely affluent and she doubted that she would even be able to afford half of the rent, let alone the utilities and food. Not willing to be dismayed, Kagome decided that it couldn't hurt to give it a shot.

The elevator ride up to the floor she needed was relatively short and that did nothing to quell her nervousness. She had no idea what to expect from the renter and she prayed that things would go her way. As soon as the door opened her heartbeat began to speed up as she made her way down the hall. Her mind was hazy and when she found herself standing outside the door she paused. Her arm was raised and ready to knock but she just couldn't do it.

_Get a grip, Kagome! What's the worst that can happen? They'll say no, you'll leave and keep looking. Sango and Miroku won't mind it if you stay a little longer_ she told herself before she plucked up her courage and knocked.

She waited with bated breath for what seemed like forever before she heard movement inside the apartment. She could feel the sweat building up on her palms while she waited. Finally, after what felt like an eternity the door opened and Kagome's jaw nearly hit the floor.

Standing before her was quite possibly the most attractive male she had ever seen in her life. His lean frame towered above her head and she found that she had to strain her neck to see his face. Long, silver hair was pulled into a high ponytail still managed to reach the center of his back while piercing golden eyes narrowed at her. She knew it was rude to stare but she couldn't help herself.

"Yes?" the smooth voice sounded and managed to bring her out of her ogling.

"Um…hi…I'm sorry that I didn't call-"she began but she was cut off.

"Is there something that you require or have you simply come to annoy me?"

Kagome was slightly taken back by his rude tone but she refused to let it get to her.

"I'm here about the ad…in the paper. You know, for a roommate?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened a fraction before they settled again. Was she serious? Again, another person who clearly could not read. When he heard the knock he was mildly surprised. He knew he wasn't expecting any one else that evening and he found that he was a little annoyed. He had almost ignored it, thinking that it may have been Kagura but changed his mind at the last minute. When he opened the door he was momentarily shocked by the tiny little slip of a girl standing on his door step. She was at least a foot shorter than he was but he didn't fail to notice that her body held enticing curves in all of the right places. Her midnight hair was well kept and her bright blue eyes were dancing with a touch of apprehension. There was no way in hell that he could share his home with this woman.

"The ad clearly states that I am looking for a male roommate. Perhaps you were incapable of understanding that" he told her coldly.

Kagome's eyes widened again at the rudeness of this man before she sighed in defeat. She did remember reading something along those lines but she was hoping that the person would be flexible. She did her best to fight back the tears.

Bowing low she lifted her eyes to stare directly at his face.

"I-I'm sorry. I should have read it more carefully. I apologize for disturbing you. I'll just…go. Thank you and I'm sorry again."

She turned to leave and something inside Sesshoumaru stirred. She looked so unbelievably sad. Really, there was no need for his rudeness; she hadn't done anything wrong. Watching her retreating form he had a debate within himself. What harm would it be to take her information and just…see? She would probably end up like all the other's anyway. Cursing mentally he stepped into the hall fully. This was a very, very bad idea; he was sure of it, he thought before he called out.

"Wait!"


	2. Being Oblivious Has Benefits

A/N: Thank you to everyone who read/reviewed/favorited/and watched this story. Here's chapter 2, which is as far as I've gotten. Chapter 3 is in the works. And as always, reviews are greatly appreciated!

Being Oblivious Has Benefits

Kagome had to admit, she felt really awkward sitting in the man's kitchen sipping tea while he went off to run his _check_ on her information. He hadn't even told her his name yet and he just expected to sit here, in a strangers' apartment, with no proper way to defend herself…

_Get a grip, Kagome. If he really was some sort of…well deviant he wouldn't be advertising in the newspaper for a roommate. Or maybe…maybe that's how he finds his victims…Holy shit; I spend too much time watching murder mysteries with Miroku!_

She shook her head and decided that now wasn't the time to over analyze the situation. Glancing around, she couldn't help but admire the gorgeous apartment she had a slim chance of residing in. There was a spacious living room with an overstuffed couch and cherry wood coffee table at the center. Matching end tables found homes at each end of the couch. The fireplace on the far wall was made of marble and judging by the mass of burnt ashes, it was well used. The kitchen, well, she really thought she had died and gone to heaven. State of the art appliances, granite countertops, stainless-steel refrigerator…Kagome had to stop herself from drooling on the table. It was every woman's dream come true!

She stood up and headed towards the sliding glass doors that lead to the balcony. She probably should have stayed where her host left her but she was getting restless. She unlatched the door and pushed it to the side and was immediately greeted with the warm air of summer. Stepping out onto the wide balcony, Kagome took a deep breath and smiled. The view of the city was breathtaking. The air was cleaner up here than it was down below and she was offered a wide view of everything around her. She moved to lean against the railing and enjoy a few more moments of the bright afternoon sun.

Kagome found herself desperately hoping he would agree to share this place with her. Sure, the guy seemed like a bit of an ass but she had lived with worse. Besides, it's not like they were going to be around one another a lot. Well, that was her hope anyway. She couldn't say that she _disliked _the man but she certainly didn't like him either. He was rude, arrogant and seemed to think that she was dumber than a post. She would just have to make him change his mind about her.

Of course, the fact that he was gorgeous didn't enter into her mind at all. Nope, not even once.

~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~

Sesshoumaru stared at the computer screen utterly at a loss. There was absolutely…nothing. No criminal record, no minor infractions, hell the woman had never even had a parking ticket in her life! There had to be a mistake. No one was _that_ good!

Just for good measure, he ran the search again. Surely she had to have something wrong with her. His eyes went to the screen when the computer beeped to signal that it was done. Just like before, the result came up clean. Kagome Higurashi was a model citizen. Well if that didn't just throw the mother of all fucks into the situation. He had no real reason to reject the girl because there was nothing to reject her over.

He sighed and ran his hands over his face. What would be so terrible about having her as a roommate? She was obviously a good person. She was educated and held down a decent job. She was beautiful.

Wait…beautiful? Where the hell did that come from? He just met the woman and he was already sizing her up like his next meal. Kami he was truly pathetic. There was no denying that she was appealing to the eye but he refused to go down that road.

_She still needs to pass a few more tests_ he reminded himself before he rose from his seat and headed to where he left her in the kitchen. As soon as he rounded the corner from his room he noticed the table that was lacking a certain Kagome Higurashi.

_Where did she wander off to?_

He stepped into the living room and immediately felt the breeze coming from his _open_ balcony doors. She was outside. It wasn't surprising really; he did have the best view in town. Well, in his opinion anyway. He moved forward silently until he was standing in the doorway staring out at the scene before him.

Kagome's lean frame was leaning against the railing while the wind tousled her hair around. Her long, denim-clad legs seemed even longer than he originally noticed. The sun light that was filtering down was bouncing of her skin creating a subtle glow while the lilac color top she was wearing was hugging her soft feminine curves in just the right places.

_Damnit! I have to stop thinking these things_ he mentally chastised himself before he straightened and cleared his throat.

Kagome spun around quickly and flushed a few different shades of red before she found the courage to speak.

"Um…sorry. I was just admiring the view" she told him with a smile.

"Hn, it is of no consequence. If you would please come back inside, I have a few questions that I would like to ask you"

With that, he turned and made his way back to the kitchen and waited for Kagome to join him at the table. Once both parties were seated and fresh cups of tea were poured he decided it was now or never.

"Your background check came back exceptional Miss Higurashi but I have a few more questions before I make my decision" he began but was cut off.

"I'm sorry; before we begin could you please tell me your name? I'm at a serious disadvantage; you know who I am but I have no idea who you are" Kagome stated.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened considerably at that. Was it possible that she had no idea who he was? Did the woman not watch television at all?

"My apologies, I assumed you knew. My name is Sesshoumaru Ito"

He assumed she knew who he was? Arrogant much?

"Thank you Sesshoumaru. Now please, go on with your questions"

Sesshoumaru nodded and turned to get more comfortable in his chair.

"Very well. You were born and raised here in Tokyo is that correct?"

"Yes, my family owns a shrine. It's been in our family for generations. My mother, brother and grandfather still live there and tend to it"

"What about your father?"

"He…passed away when I was 8"

"It says that you attended university and that your major was Economics yet you work at a small bookshop. Why would you give up a degree like that?"

Kagome smiled and sat back in her chair. "I gave the business world a shot for a little while but it wasn't for me. I couldn't take the backstabbing, the cut throat attitudes and the kill or be killed mentality. I was a constant patron of the bookshop and got to know the owner really well. She knew I was miserable where I was working and offered me a job. I left the corporate world and have been doing that ever since. Sure the pay isn't as good but I'm a lot happier and that's more important to me than how much money I make."

Sesshoumaru regarded her silently for a moment. This girl…no, woman was something else. Not many people would give up a high paying job to work at a tiny little bookshop in the center of town.

"Are you still residing at your family's shrine?"

"No. Right now I'm living with my best friend and her husband. I haven't been there long but they're newlyweds and I'm sure they really want some time to themselves."

"And before that?"

"I-I was living…with my…my boyfriend" she replied quietly.

"I see. And are you currently still engaged in the relationship?"

"I think that's a rather personal question for you to be asking, Mr. Ito" Kagome snapped.

"I'm afraid it is a question that must be answered _Miss_ Higurashi. I'm not going to have my apartment overrun by strange men."

Kagome narrowed her eyes; who the hell did this guy think he was?

"What kind of woman do you take me for? Do you honestly think that I would just bring random men here and disrespect you like that? The answer to your question is no, we're not still together and not that it's any of your damn business but I don't plan on being in another relationship for a while."

Sesshoumaru sat back; he was impressed. No one ever talked back to him because they were all too afraid of what he could do to them. Yet, this woman wasn't afraid of him. Interesting.

"Thank you, Miss Higurashi. I have just one more question" Sesshoumaru said as he moved to place their empty cups in the sink.

"And that would be?"

"When would you like to move in?"

~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~

"Kagome you aren't serious about this are you?" Sango all but yelled.

She couldn't believe that Kagome was actually entertaining the idea of moving in with a complete stranger. A complete _male_ stranger at that. Sango firmly believed that if she couldn't afford to be on her own then she should stay with her and Miroku a little longer. She knew that Kagome wanted them to have their privacy but in reality they didn't mind having her stay. It's not like she took up much room and ate them out of house and home.

"Sango I know what you're thinking but really, it's a good offer. It's close to my job, my half of the rent is really affordable and it's still close enough that I can visit you and Miroku whenever I need to."

"Kagome, you know nothing about this man. He could be…I don't know a convict or something. Or a murderer in disguise."

Kagome laughed loudly then. Sometimes she and Sango were too much alike for their own good.

"I thought the same thing but I highly doubt that a criminal would be living in a place like that"

"You never know anymore Kagome. I just want you to be safe."

"I know Sango, I know but I really think that it's going to be okay" Kagome told her with a smile.

Sango sighed. Obviously there was no arguing with Kagome on this because she'd already made up her mind.

"So…when do you want to go to Kouga's and get your stuff?"

Kagome paled just a little at that thought. She hadn't talked to Kouga since…that night. He called her numerous times and even went so far as to show up at her job to _explain_ himself. But, there was nothing to explain. She knew perfectly well what was going on and nothing he could say would make things right. Eventually he got the message and backed off. The thought of having to get in contact with him or even face him made her sick to her stomach. She didn't want to see him or hear his voice but she knew she had to. She needed to know if he had the locks changed so she could get the rest of her clothes and various other things that were hers.

"Well, I guess…I need to call him. See if my key still works and find out when he's _not_ going to be there. I don't think I could handle facing him even if you are Miroku are with me."

"We'll definitely be going with you. I don't want that son of a bitch alone with you at all" Sango replied with a smirk.

"Okay, okay. I'll call him this afternoon. For now, why don't you help me start getting packed up what I have here? It'll make everything easier when it's time to go."

"When did…hang on…what's this guy's name anyway? You never did tell me"

"Oh…his name is Sesshoumaru, Sesshoumaru Ito"

Sango's face paled considerably while her eyes grew ten times larger than normal. She knew that name. Hell, everyone knew that name. His face was plastered all over the television and tabloids at least once a month. Apparently, Kagome wasn't as observant as Sango thought she was.

~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~

Kagome sat in the quiet of her room and stared at her cell phone. She knew she had to do this but it didn't make it any easier. All she had to do was push the 'send' button but she couldn't force herself to do it. She didn't want to hear his voice or see his face because she knew it would bring back feelings that she didn't need right now. She was moving on with her life and she didn't want to go back to how things were…before.

Sighing, Kagome shook her head. This was ridiculous. It was just a simple phone call; that was it. They were over and done with and she a right to her personal belongings after all. If he did change the locks then she would go to the police and have them retrieve what she was missing. Determination flashed across her features before she pushed 'send'.

"_Kagome? Oh thank the Kami's! Are you alright?" Kouga's voice sounded on the other end._

"Does it really matter anymore, Kouga?" Kagome snipped back.

"_Please don't be like that. I've been so worried about you. You haven't been home, you've been refusing my phone calls and you weren't there when I went to your job. Where are you?"_

"That's none of your business, Kouga. You lost your right to any answers when you cheated on me with your secretary"

"_Kagome, please…if we could just…talk about this-"_

"There is nothing to talk about! I called you because I want the rest of my stuff and I need to know if you've changed the locks on your apartment."

"_No…I haven't. When are you coming over?"_

"When are you not going to be there?"

"_I…I'll be at work all day Monday. You can come by then. I'll make sure all of your stuff is packed up and by the door for you" he said sadly._

"Thank you. I'll leave the key on the kitchen table."

Kagome hung up before Kouga had a chance to respond. She was relieved that it was over with. She would definitely be bringing Sang and Miroku with her; she didn't trust the fact that he would be gone. She was half tempted to go over there now and see if he would leave. Then they could just run in there, grab her stuff and go. She wouldn't have to worry about him trying to talk her out of her decision. She'd had enough of that lately.

~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~

The bookstore was strangely quiet today. Usually it was teeming with people on a Monday but today it was almost empty. Kagome wasn't complaining too much; it was allowing her the opportunity to re-organize some things that she had been dying to do forever while helping to keep her mind occupied. Sango and Miroku were meeting her here at three so they could go over to Kouga's. She was praying that he wasn't going to be there but something inside of her was screaming that he would be home. Sango promised that nothing would happen and that she and Miroku would deal with Kouga but she was still uneasy. She knew that he would never hurt her or anything but she wanted to avoid the confrontation.

"Hey Kagome?" her boss called from behind the counter.

"What's up Shippo?"

"Can you mind the front for a minute? I need to use the restroom and make a phone call"

"No problem. Tell your honey I said hello" Kagome said with a wink.

Shippo laughed and smiled back at Kagome.

"Am I becoming that predictable?"

"Maybe just a little" she laughed.

Shippo made his way towards the backroom while Kagome took his spot behind the counter. She loved working here. Shippo was a great boss. Most times he acted like her big brother than the person who signed her paychecks. She could talk to him about anything and his girlfriend Ayame was a doll. She really couldn't picture herself doing anything different than what she was.

She was brought out of her thoughts when the bell above the door jingled letting her know that someone had come in. She looked up and was completely surprised at who she saw standing there.

"Sesshoumaru? What are you doing here?" she asked him.

"I was in the neighborhood and thought I would drop of your keys to the apartment" he replied while holding out a small bag to her.

"Oh…thank you. You didn't have to drop them off I could have picked them up."

He waved his hand in a dismissive manner before walking away. Honestly, he had no idea why he needed to bring her the keys, she wasn't moving in until the weekend. There was no reason for her to need them now but he decided to drop by and give them to her early.

"Can I help you find something?" Kagome asked.

"No, I am merely…observing"

"Oh, okay well…if you need anything I'll just be over there" she told him while pointing towards the counter.

"Have you had lunch yet?"

"I-um…what?"

"It is a simple question, Miss Higurashi; have you had lunch or not?"

He had no idea what possessed him to ask her but now that he had he couldn't exactly take it back.

"I-hmm…well, no I haven't"

"You will accompany me then"

"Wait what? I can't just up and leave; it's the middle of my shift"

"Sure you can Kagome" Shippo said as he walked out of the back "go have lunch with your…um…friend. We're slow enough; I think I can handle it."

"But-"

"No 'buts' young lady, go out and have lunch and I'll see you in an hour" he laughed and then pushed her towards the door.

Kagome scowled at him, but decided not to fight against it. She quietly followed Sesshoumaru out the door and down the street. Ten minutes later found the two of them seated at an outdoor café that she had never before been too. She had always wanted to eat here but the prices were always out of her budget. She protested when they first arrived but soon-to-be_ roommate_ silenced her with a glare.

So here they sat, in total silence while they waited for their food to arrive. What were they supposed to talk about? They knew nothing about one another so where were they supposed to begin?

"So-"she began but was immediately cut off by an extraordinarily angry voice behind her.

"What the fuck is this all about, Kagome?"

It was Kouga.


	3. Moving Out and In

A/N: Thanks to everyone for the wonderful reviews! Keep 'em coming lol! Thanks for reading and enjoying everyone!

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

Moving Out and In…

Kagome's eyes were wide open while she stared at her ex-boyfriend in complete shock. Why was he here? What could he possibly want? More importantly, why did he give a damn who she had lunch with?

"What are you doing here Kouga?" she snapped.

"I could ask you the same question, Kagome."

"It's none of your damn business who I associate with Kouga. You gave up your right to question what I did and who I was with when you cheated on me and I left."

"You wouldn't even let me explain! You just…left!" he yelled

"You honestly expected me to stick around? What could you possibly have had to explain, Kouga? You were screwing your secretary and I caught you, end of story. Now if you don't mind, you're interrupting what was sure to be a rather pleasant lunch."

"Is this the reason you won't come listen to me? Have you moved on already? Are you fucking him Kagome?" Kouga yelled.

Kagome stood up and before she could think her hand connected with the side of Kouga's face. Never before had she hated him as much as she did in that moment.

"How dare you? You think that you can just come here and make accusations? Haven't you caused enough trouble in my life? Why do you insist on hurting me more than you already have?"

Sesshoumaru watched the interaction between the two apparently _ex-lovers_ with a curious eye. So he cheated on her and got caught. A familiar pain found its way into Sesshoumaru's heart as he was reminded of his own recent betrayal. It seemed that he had more in common with Kagome than he originally believed. He could understand her pain and her hurt but what he couldn't understand was the actions of the man, this Kouga. He obviously knew what he was doing when he slept with another woman, yet he acted as though he had done nothing wrong. Did he honestly expect her to stay with him? If he did, than he was a bigger fool than Sesshoumaru was beginning to suspect he was.

Turning his attention back to Kagome, he could see the storm hiding behind her eyes. She was fighting the tears that were picking at the corners of her eyes but he suspected it wouldn't be long before she lost that fight.

"Kagome…I…I just…" Kouga began but he was cut off.

"I do believe Miss Higurashi would appreciate it if you left. As she said, you are interrupting our lunch." Sesshoumaru told him coldly.

"And just what are your interests in this Ito? That's right I know who you are. If you think for a second that you can lay and hand on what belongs to me you're—"

"I do not belong to you, Kouga!"

Kouga narrowed his eyes before grabbing hold of her shoulders forcefully. Sesshoumaru was on his feet instantly ready to intervene if necessary.

"You do belong to me, Kagome. Don't think for a second that I'm going to let you go that easily" he hissed before roughly shoving her at Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru's arms instinctively wrapped around Kagome's waist to steady her while he leveled his gaze at Kouga. He was getting tired of the man's unnecessary displays of testosterone.

"Leave and if you ever come near her again I will make sure you pay dearly for it" he snapped.

"Whatever…get your shit out of my apartment today Kagome. When we can discuss this like normal people I'll consider letting you move back in" Kouga replied before storming off.

Sesshoumaru followed him with his eyes until he was around the corner and out of sight. He shifted his gaze to the woman that, oddly enough, he was still holding. Her head was hanging low and her shoulders were slumped. It was painfully obvious to him that she was embarrassed even though the events that transpired were not her fault.

"Are you alright?" he asked carefully.

"Yes" she replied quietly before shrugging her way out of Sesshoumaru's hold "I would like to apologize to you. I had no idea that he would come here and…make such a scene. I was supposed to go over and get the last of my belongings tonight and I guess he thought he could talk me out of it."

Kagome lifted her head finally to look at his face and gauge his reaction to it all. She was surprised to find that his face was neutral and it appeared as though he didn't care at all. Still, Kagome felt bad and she knew it wasn't the best way to begin a new _friendship_.

"I'm really sorry Sesshoumaru and I would completely understand if you were having second thoughts about sharing your apart—"

"You have no need to apologize. You are not responsible for the actions of anyone but yourself."

Kagome gave him a hesitant smile before sitting back down at their table. Sesshoumaru followed suit and resumed his seat across from her just as their waiter arrived with their orders. Together, they ate in relative silence; neither individual knowing exactly how to break the ice. Sesshoumaru stole a glance at his companion and noticed that she was pushing her food around more than she was eating.

"Is the food not to your liking?" he questioned after a few minutes.

Kagome looked up to see Sesshoumaru peering at her curiously. It was then that she realized that she had once again gotten lost in her own head.

"No…it's fine, I'm just…thinking" she replied quietly.

"May I inquire as to what has vexed your mind so?"

"I just—I'm not so comfortable about having to go over to Kouga's and get my stuff now. I've never seen him act the way he did today and I'm a little nervous. I know Miroku and Sango will be there but still. I was hoping to just run in, grab what I needed and get out. Something tells me that he's going to be waiting for me now and I really don't want to deal with it."

"I can understand that."

"I should probably see if they can go now. He headed off in the direction of his office which means he won't be home anytime soon…" she trailed off before grabbing her cell phone from her purse.

She dialed Sango's number and hoped that she would answer.

"_Yes Kagome?" Sango's voice sounded on the other end._

"Hey Sango…listen, I just had a not so fun run in with Kouga while I was on lunch."

"_Oh shit! What did the bastard say?"_

"It's not important but I was wondering if you and Miroku were free now so I could go over and get my stuff?"

"_Damn, Kagome I can't. I have a client coming in, in about 20 minutes and Miroku won't be done working till later. I can call Kohaku and see if he's free if you want…"_

"No, don't worry about it. We'll just wait and go over later like we planned."

"_Alright. I'm sorry, Kagome. You know if I could I would."_

"I know Sango. I'll talk to you later, enjoy the rest of your day"

"_Bye Kagome"_

Kagome ended the call and sighed. Well, that didn't work out the way she wanted it.

Sesshoumaru watched her composure and noticed the sadness in her eyes. An idea began to form, one that he knew he had no right to propose but once it caught hold it wouldn't let go.

"If I may; perhaps I can be helpful to your situation" he began slowly.

"What do you mean?"

"I have nothing to do for the rest of the day. If you are adamant about removing your belongings as soon as possible I could accompany you"

Kagome looked at him curiously. Why would he offer to help her? He barely knew her. Sure, they were going to be roommates soon but she certainly didn't expect him to help her deal with Kouga more than he already had.

"That's nice of you to offer, Sesshoumaru but I couldn't ask that of you. We really don't know each other yet and I don't want you to get dragged into my mess"

"Nonsense. You aren't asking, I'm offering. We can bring everything over to the apartment now. There's no sense in moving it from one location to another only to have to do it again in a few days."

Kagome found that she really couldn't argue with his logic. Besides the boxes would just be taking up space in Sango and Miroku's place. It would make things that much easier when she moved in on the weekend.

"I guess when you put it that way I can't argue. I just need to let Shippo know I'm not coming back today."

"Are you certain he won't mind?"

"As long as it's still quiet he won't care. His grandmother is the owner and she pretty much leaves it up to him to run the place. She only comes by once a week"

Sesshoumaru nodded but didn't say anything further. His mind was wandering again and he wanted some time to organize his thoughts. He was having a hard time understanding why he was so accommodating when it came to this woman. He was ready to admit that she was pleasant company and that his initial suspicions concerning her intelligence were unfounded. But none of that explained his desire to be of assistance to her. He refused to accept that is was an attraction to her. He was done with relationships for the foreseeable future. Sure, an occasional one night stand wouldn't be an issue but something told him that Kagome would not be the perfect candidate for that.

"Well, Shippo has no problem if I leave for the day. So if you're sure about this when we finish our lunch we can go" Kagome's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"That is acceptable. Do you need to get anything from your job before we go?" he questioned.

"No, I've got everything with me in my bag. I don't have a car so we're good there."

"You don't drive?"

"Well, I have my license I just don't have a car. Besides, with the way traffic is in this city walking is much more enjoyable sometimes" she replied with a smile.

"Hn"

Kagome wrinkled her brow at the less than pleasant response but shrugged it off. It was just another one of those quirks his personality had that she would have to get used to. She stared down and her untouched plate of food and finally decided that she just wasn't hungry. She really wanted to get this over with and the more time she wasted thinking about it the more likely she was to back out.

"I'm finished. I'm sorry I'm sure the food is really good I'm just not hungry. I'll take it with me and have it for dinner"

Sesshoumaru nodded and motioned for the waiter to come over. Once her food had been wrapped and the bill had been set on the table he reached for his wallet and handed over his credit card.

Kagome dug through her purse to find her own wallet in order to pay for her share. It was only right seeing as how she ate nothing and caused such a scene. A soft hand on hers stopped her and she looked up to find Sesshoumaru staring at her curiously.

"It is not necessary" he told her smoothly.

"Oh, no I won't allow that! All I did was sit here and cause trouble. You have to at least let me pay for my half of the meal" she protested.

"Are you always this aggravating?" he questioned.

"Not on purpose. I'm only that way with people I like so I guess you should consider yourself special" she said with a laugh.

The corner of Sesshoumaru's mouth twitched while he fought the smirk that wanted to form. Really, life with this woman was going to be interesting.

~~~~~~B~~~~~~

"I feel like I'm breaking and entering or something" Kagome said while she stood in what used to be her home.

Not much had changed though the place was decidedly _less _tidy compared to when she lived there. Just as Kouga promised, all of her belongings were packed in boxes by the door. She was thankfull that she didn't have to spend more time looking for everything that belonged to her. The less time she spent here the better. She had no idea when Kouga was coming home and considering everything that had happened at lunch, she didn't think it would be a good idea if he saw her here…with Sesshoumaru…again.

"As long as nothing is disturbed that shouldn't be, you will be fine" Sesshoumaru told her confidently.

"I know it's just weird. I lived here for years; this was my home. Now I feel like a stranger" she replied sadly.

"You are moving on with your life. There is no reason to dwell on the past when you cannot change the things that happened"

Kagome turned to glance over her shoulder at him. For the first time since she had met him she saw the ghost of an emotion hidden in his eyes. There was…pain and sorrow hiding behind the mask that he had put up to keep others out. She wondered what could have happened to him that would cause such a deep sadness to lurk. She wanted to ask him but when she turned to look at him again his face was back to its normal, neutral look. Obviously, whatever was on his mind passed and she was sure he wouldn't want to talk about it.

"Well, let's get this loaded up so we can get out of here" she said while standing up and taking two boxes with her. She gave him a shy smile when she walked passed him and he was almost tempted to return it.

He knew she had seen it; the brief flash of vulnerability that had seeped into him. He refused to let her see his pain. Yes, he knew that she was feeling exactly the same as he was but she didn't need to know that. He would not let her pity him.

_But is it pity to let someone else who knows your pain to comfort you_ his mind questioned. _I wonder…would it really be so bad to open up to someone? Sure, she's a complete stranger but it won't be that way for long. She's moving in for Kami's sake! I can't avoid her forever can I?_

Sesshoumaru sighed and lifted two boxes from the floor. Realistically he knew that he couldn't avoid the topic forever. If he knew Kagura at all, he knew she was determined and wouldn't give up. He was positive she would show up and make another last ditch attempt to win him back. Of course, it would fail and he would be done with her but he knew that Kagome would have questions. Was he ready to answer them? No, he most certainly wasn't but he would deal with it when the time came.

Carefully, he maneuvered his way down the steps and out to his car. He found Kagome carefully arranging the boxes she brought in the backseat of his car and he took a moment to stare at her prone form bent over displaying her ass proudly…

Damnit all, what the hell was wrong with him? A few months without regular sex had turned him into a crazed, hormonal teenager. Kami, he really needed to get out.

~~~~~~B~~~~~~

Kagome had just set the last box inside her new room when her phone began to vibrate. She reached into her pocket and looked at the caller ID…it was her mother.

"Hi mama" she answered happily

"_Hello Kagome, how are you dear?" her mother asked on the other end._

"I'm good. How is everyone there?"

"_We're just fine. I haven't heard from you in a while so I just wanted to check up on you. Have you found an apartment yet?"_

"Well, sort of. I found an apartment…to share"

"_I see. May I ask with whom?"_

"Um, no one you know mama. I found an ad in the newspaper. The rent is in my budget and it's close to work."

"_I trust your judgment, Kagome but you do know that you can always come home if you need to right?"_

"I know mama, I know. But, I need to do this. I need to be out on my own, or as much on my own as I can. Hopefully I can save up and eventually find a place by myself."

"_Alright. When you get settled let me know I'd love to come by and meet your roommate and make sure you have everything that you need"_

"Okay, mama. I'll give you a call as soon as everything is ready"

"_Goodnight, Kagome I love you"_

"I love you too mama, talk to you soon"

Kagome smiled as she hung up the phone. Her mother was always good for cheering her up when she was down. She shook her head and looked around at her new room. She honestly thought she had died when Sesshoumaru told her this was where she would be staying. She had only seen rooms like this in magazines that showed pictures of fancy hotels across the world. If this was the extra bedroom she could only imagine what Sesshoumaru's room looked like. Speaking of her host, she hadn't seen him once since he showed her, her room. She had a funny feeling that he was trying to avoid her and she didn't like it. If they were going to be living together they needed to get used to being around one another. She set the last picture frame on the dresser and decided she had done enough unpacking for the day. She glanced at the clock only to realize that it was almost nine at night.

_Shit! Sango must be freaking out right now I was supposed to meet her hours ago! _Sure enough, when she looked at her phone there were 12…yes 12 missed calls all from her best friend. She had no idea how she didn't know the phone was ringing but she guessed it was because she was so wrapped up in what she was doing. She quickly dialed Sango's number and prepared herself for the massive chewing out she was about to receive.

"_Where the hell are you?" Sango screamed on the other end._

Yep…she was pissed.

"Hello to you too, Sango"

"_I have been calling you for hours, Kagome! I almost called the police and reported you missing!"_

"I'm sorry Sango. I didn't mean to worry you. Sesshoumaru helped me get all of my stuff out of Kouga's and I've been over there setting up as much as I could. I guess I lost track of time. I probably wouldn't have even known you called if my mom didn't just call me" she replied sheepishly. She really did feel bad that she scared her friend but it couldn't be helped now.

"_Seriously, don't you ever scare me like that again! Are you almost done? Do you want Miroku and I to come pick you up?"_

"Not yet but I'll call you when I'm ready. I might even hop a cab and stay at mom's tonight. She seemed a little lonely and I'm off tomorrow"

"_Alright, if you want me to come get you just call. If I don't hear from you I'll assume you're with your mom"_

"Thanks Sango. I'm really sorry for scaring you"

"_Eh, it's all good. Have fun Kagome and I'll talk to you later"_

"Bye Sango"

Kagome hung up and set her phone down on the nightstand next to her bed and decided she needed a break. She strolled out of the room in search of Sesshoumaru. She peered in the kitchen but it was empty. She turned to look at the living room but that too was void of the man known as Sesshoumaru. She wondered for a minute if he was in his room but the breeze coming from the balcony doors told her all she needed to know; he was outside. She quietly stepped outside and found him sitting in one of the chairs gazing up at the stars. He didn't seem to notice she was there and she took a minute to really look at him. He was a Kami among men there was no denying that. But his cold and often aloof personality made it difficult for her to want to get to know him better.

She wondered why he was the way he was but some people were just…well cranky. It was a shame really; some one that drop dead gorgeous should at least have a personality to match it.

"You don't have to stand there; there is another chair you may sit on" Sesshoumaru told her.

The sound of his voice caused her to jump and blush a little. She didn't want to get caught ogling her new roommate. Hesitantly, she moved passed him and took a seat on his other side.

"Thank you" she replied shyly.

"Would you care for a glass of wine?"

"Oh…um…sure I'd love one, thank you"

Sesshoumaru rose from his seat and walked back inside to the bar in the living room. He had been out on the balcony for hours now while she was busy setting up her things. It was odd; she hadn't even moved in fully yet and he already felt better about her being there. They hadn't said much or even interacted since they returned home but there was a new peace surrounding him. Sure he knew that it wasn't always going to be a bed of roses between them but for now, it was a nice start.

Once his glass was refilled and a fresh one poured for her, he stepped back onto the balcony and resumed his seat while handing over her drink. She smiled at him and offered a polite thank you. They returned to a comfortable silence and continued to just stare off into the evening.

Kagome let her eyes close as the warm evening breeze washed across her face. For the first time in months she was completely relaxed and at peace. Thoughts about Kouga were the farthest thing from her mind at the moment but he found they were replaced by ones of her silent companion. She turned to him and blushed brightly when she found that he was looking at her.

"Well…here's to new beginnings" she said while raising her glass.

Sesshoumaru looked at her before the tiniest smirk appeared on his face. His own glass game in contact with hers before he brought to his lips. _New beginnings indeed_ he thought but the beginning of what…he would just have to wait and see.


	4. New Routines, Empty Refrigerators and

A/N: And epic fail to me for this being ohhh 4 months late. For those who don't read my other story, I was really sick for about 2 months and then we moved at the beginning of May. I also had some trouble with this chapter though I have no idea why. I wish to say thank you to everyone who read and reviewed and thank you to everyone who nominated this story for the 1st Quarter awards. Now that things are settled I hope to get this back on a regular schedule. I hope you're all still with me! As always reviews are greatly appreciated and make me smile! BTW Sesshoumaru is far from perfect in this and it's going to come out that he has quite a few flaws.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

New Routines, Empty Refrigerators and Crossing Boundaries.

Sesshoumaru groaned and did his best to ignore the blaring alarm clock on his nightstand but the more he tried, the louder the alarm seemed to grow. When the buzzing became too much to tolerate, Sesshoumaru slammed his hand down and turned it off. It was far too early to be awake even for him but his 7:30 meeting wouldn't wait. He laid in the peace and quiet for a few extra minutes before he removed the blankets and sat up. The room was spinning a little and it just served as another reason why he needed to quit drinking; no one should ever drink a bottle of tequila alone.

He rose from the bed slowly and headed off towards his private bathroom. As soon as the scalding water came in contact with his aching body he relaxed. He went over everything he needed to know for his meeting in his mind while he went through his daily routine in the shower. There were talks of a massive merger in the making and they wanted all of the top people in the company to go over the details and make sure the information being provided by the other institution were sound. For the most part they were but there were definitely a few things that he noticed that needed to be addressed. Hopefully they were just simple errors that could be easily corrected but if there was one thing he learned in his tenure with the company it was that nothing was ever so simple.

10 minutes later his shower was complete and he was putting the finishing touches on his wardrobe choices for the day when the smell of fresh coffee and breakfast reached his nose. He inhaled deeply before smirking just a bit. It seemed that his new roommate was awake too.

Kagome had officially moved in as of Saturday evening but he had barely seen her. No, he wasn't avoiding the woman he simply had other matters to attend to. Okay that was a lie; he really didn't want to help move her stuff in. Her friends were coming to help her so really there was no reason he needed to be there. He spent the day hiding in his office going over some reports and his night at the local bar he liked to frequent. Most of Sunday was spent nursing his hangover and when he emerged from his room Kagome was nowhere to be found. He assumed she was out getting things that she needed and wouldn't be back any time soon, so he made himself some food, grabbed yet another bottle of alcohol and retreated back to the safety of his room. He never even heard her return. Kami help him, he was turning into a truly pathetic male over one simple woman. _Whore_ his mind reminded him sternly. While it was true that she hadn't tried to get in touch with him since the day he threw her out, he knew it was only a matter of time before she tried to come crawling back. He would refuse her of course but that still didn't stop the lonely feeling he had a night when he curled up in his bed…alone. Pathetic.

Shaking his head to rid himself of the ridiculous thoughts he was having, he straightened his tie and headed for the kitchen. He spotted Kagome by the stove flipping what looked to be an omelet of some kind. He wanted to chuckle at her appearance but he didn't. Her hair was thrown up into a messy ponytail on top of her head while her sunshine and rainbow pajama pants with matching tank top did nothing to squash his amusement. Quietly he slipped into the kitchen and leaned against the wall. She was oblivious to his presence but that didn't last long when he cleared his throat loudly.

Kagome jumped and whirled around to see Sesshoumaru looking at her with an amused gleam in his eyes. She huffed and stared at him.

"You could have warned me you know. I'm still getting used to being here" she told him.

"I could have but you seem to be adjusting well" he replied while gesturing to the pan on the stove and the pot of coffee.

"Right, well I thought you could use some breakfast before you went to work. Since I was up and making it for myself I thought I'd be nice and make you some too. I don't know if you're a coffee drinker or not but I can't live without it."

"Coffee is fine. Thank you for your consideration" he said stiffly. She was far too happy in the morning he decided.

Kagome smiled softly and turned back to the stove. Her first weekend in her new home was not what she expected it to be. Sure, she never thought that Sesshoumaru would actually be there to _help_ move anything in but she was surprised when she saw nothing of her new roommate. She knew that he was a busy man but it was the weekend and she was hoping to spend a little time with him while she moved in, in the hopes of getting to know him a little better. Obviously he had other plans because she hadn't seen him once. She was aware that they weren't going to be friends instantly but it was impossible to try when he wasn't around. Sango had immediately commented on the fact that he wasn't there because he was afraid to meet her friends but she dismissed that theory almost instantly. Sesshoumaru didn't seem like the type of person to avoid things but…She shook her head. He was busy, it was no big deal, and they would just start over.

When she heard his alarm blaring this morning she decided that a good way to start off on this new adventure was to make a good impression. When the shower next to her bedroom kicked on, she got up and quickly started breakfast. She had no idea what he liked but figured that just about everyone enjoyed a good omelet once in a while.

She arranged their breakfast neatly on the plates and carefully poured two cups of coffee before turning around and setting his plate in front of him. Kagome watched somewhat nervously as he eyed the food with caution.

"I promise it's very edible. I took cooking classes a few years ago" she told him when she noticed he had yet to take a bite.

Sesshoumaru lifted an eye and gazed at her before deciding that she wasn't out to poison him in order to steal his home. Really, he had way too many ridiculous thoughts going on in his mind when it came to the woman and they all needed to stop…right now.

Hesitantly he lifted the chopsticks to his mouth and dove in. The first thing he noticed was that the food was, in fact, edible. He didn't know what he was expecting but it certainly wasn't what he got. The flavors were rich and well blended. He was impressed but that could be due to the fact that his normal breakfast consisted of a piece of dry toast on his way out the door. The meal in front of him was many, many levels above that and he silently thought that he could get used to mornings like this. He was so involved in his thoughts that he didn't even notice that he had devoured the entire plate in a matter of only a couple minutes. He stared at the empty plate in obvious confusion; he didn't realize he was that hungry.

"I guess it was good then?" Kagome asked when he said nothing.

Shaking his head, Sesshoumaru looked up at the woman sitting across from him and nodded "Yes, thank you it was delicious but I must be going."

"Oh, alright. I'm off today so I'm just going to finish setting up the rest of my things and spend some time changing my address on a few things."

"If you need anything, let me know. I left a note with my cell phone and work numbers on the dry-erase board on the refrigerator the other day" he replied while getting up from the chair and draining his cup of coffee in the process "thank you for breakfast; I will see you this evening."

"Have a good day Sesshoumaru." Kagome said with a smile.

Sesshoumaru nodded and headed for the door. He probably should have grabbed the bottle of aspirin from under the sink in the bathroom before he left but it was too late for that now. Today was definitely going to be a shitty day.

~~~~~B~~~~~

Kagome stared at it, unable to truly believe what she was seeing. There was…nothing. Why had she _not_ noticed this, this morning when she made breakfast? _Because you were still half asleep and didn't care_ her mind supplied as she surveyed the situation.

_How does he live like this? I mean, it's not like he can't afford it…_Kagome was at a loss and she immediately began snooping around the kitchen until she found what she was looking for.

"Ah ha!" she cried when she spied the very large pile of take out menus in the corner. It was obvious from the pile that he ordered out…a lot. While she could understand that he was a very busy man and probably didn't have a lot of time to cook, when she opened up the refrigerator and saw that there was nothing inside she frowned. She had no problem cooking for the two of them but if there was nothing to work with she didn't' see that happening. _I guess I need to go grocery shopping_ she thought just before her phone began to ring.

"Hello?"

"_Hey Kags, what are you doing?"_ Sango asked on the other end.

"Trying to figure out how this man lives with no food" Kagome replied with a laugh.

"_I'm sorry?"_

"Oh, it's nothing. I just have some shopping to do."

"_Okay then. How are things otherwise?"_

"I'm settling in. I've got my room basically set up the way I want it now I just have to find a spot for some of my bigger things like my potted plants and a few paintings. I don't want to just put them anywhere without asking him first."

"_Why didn't you ask him yet?"_

"Because I haven't seen him at all until this morning."

"_Seriously? How rude is that?"_

"Sango…"

"_No, Kagome don't you 'Sango me'! He doesn't show up to help you move your stuff in then you don't see him the whole weekend? That's a big load of bullshit if I do say so myself. What is the point of having a roommate if you're not going to see them?"_

"Sango, he's a busy man and I'm not going to bother him with stupid questions like 'oh where should I put this' and besides we're both still adjusting to being around one another. It's not like I expected us to be best friends in 3 days."

"_Well, I still think he should make some sort of effort to get to know you."_

"I'm sure he will when he has free time. I mean, it's not like he can avoid me forever."

"_I guess you're right. Now, what's this about shopping?"_

Kagome laughed loudly at her friends' eagerness to spend money.

"Not that kind of shopping. I have to shop for groceries. I had stuff to make breakfast with but when I looked in the refrigerator and the cabinets there was…well there was nothing. I get the feeling that he orders out…a lot"

"_Must be nice to have so much disposable income that he doesn't have to bother with the simple things like buying food to live on. Hell he probably has someone do it for him" Sango bit back harshly._

"You're awfully cranky today Sango; is there something bothering you?"

"_No. Well nothing more than usual"_

"What did Miroku do this time?"

Sango chuckled on the other end and Kagome knew that the woman was shaking her head.

"_You know me too well. The answer is the same thing that he always does."_

"Hmm let me guess…probably 5'5, dark hair and eyes and an ass that could knock down a building?"

"_You got it! Listen I've got to get going but I'll call you later tonight."_

"Alright, Sango have a good day"

Kagome hung up the phone and took a seat at the kitchen table. Grabbing a stray piece of paper and a pen, she began making a list of everything she would need to purchase. Food was obviously at the top of the list and she knew she would need to buy enough for two people. The only problem was she really had no idea what Sesshoumaru liked to eat. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that it didn't matter what he liked to eat or not. Sure, she made him breakfast but that didn't automatically mean that she had to cook every meal for him. _I'm not his personal chef, I'm his roommate!_ She told herself before diving in and making a list of all of her favorite foods.

~~~~~B~~~~~

He really should have stayed in bed today but unfortunately it was too late to change that decision by this point. From the moment he set foot inside the building nothing had gone right. First his personal secretary called in sick and the replacement temp working was nothing short of a disaster. Even the most menial tasks seemed impossible for the woman to complete and he was tempted to just tell her to leave for the day and deal with it on his own. The meeting that he had woken up so early for was a complete failure seeing as how neither side could come to an agreement. It was apparent that the other side had issues with the discrepancies that he discovered in his research and had all but accused him of altering the data to make them look bad. That, of course, was ridiculous but it caused the proceedings to come to halt until both sides had a chance to go over the data again. He knew that his information was sound but that didn't mean anything in the end. They asked for his opinion and diligence and he gave it 100% there should be no reason why they would question him. He didn't argue with those that were above him even though he wanted to.

Sesshoumaru sighed and leaned back in his chair. He really wanted to leave for the day but knew that it wasn't going to happen. There was too much going on and if he suddenly just disappeared it wouldn't look good at all. He was contemplating leaving for lunch when his office door was suddenly thrown open and a very angry Kagura stepped through followed closely by a harried looking temp.

"I'm sorry Ito-sama; she didn't listen when I said you didn't want to be disturbed and insisted that she speak with you immediately. I can call security—"

"Just go, I'll handle it" he seethed while leveling a murderous gaze at Kagura.

The temp worker backed out of the room slowly and shut the door behind her. Kagura never took her eyes off of Sesshoumaru's face.

"You look well" she purred.

"And you still look like a whore. What do you want, Kagura I'm a very busy man?" he snapped.

"I thought we could talk" she began while she stalked towards the other side of the desk where he was seated "I miss you and realize that I made a terrible mistake. I want us to start over."

She stopped when she was standing in front of him with her ass resting on the edge of his desk. Her short skirt rode up even higher and her tight shirt emphasized her generous breasts and she did everything in her power to draw his attention to them.

Sesshoumaru wasn't biting. He seethed in disgust and pushed his chair back further. She was a master of seduction, there was no question about that but he was stronger than she gave him credit for.

"I would rather die a celibate man than give you another chance" he spat.

"Oh come now, Sesshoumaru. You know you don't really mean that" she replied while she removed herself from his desk and attempted to place herself in his lap.

Sesshoumaru immediately stood up and pushed her away.

"Do not touch me or I promise you it will be the last thing you ever do. You have 2 minutes to remove yourself from this building or I will have you removed. If I ever see you set foot in here again I'll make sure you leave in handcuffs."

Kagura huffed; he'd won this round but she was nothing if not determined. She would return and he would be sorry.

"Whatever, Sesshoumaru. You're going to regret your actions today I _promise you_ that. You're not as powerful as you like to think you are and I can't wait to see that ego of yours bitch-slapped into the next century."

With that, she turned and calmly strolled out of his office like nothing happened. He watched her go and fought the urge to vomit. He was starting to wonder what he ever saw in her. If he really thought about it, she was cruel, vindictive and was obviously after him for only one reason; his money and his name. He had no patience for gold-digging bitches but every woman that seemed to attract his attention could be grouped into that category.

One day he would meet someone who saw him for more than just his name and what he could provide for _them_. He knew that he wasn't the easiest person to get along with but that didn't mean he had to settle for someone less than he deserved. If-no, when he found her he would know but until then he was done with dating. He had needs obviously and he wouldn't stop himself from taking care of those needs but as far as any sort of commitment was concerned he was ready to just say 'fuck it all'!

Sighing loudly, he decided that he was officially done for the day. He didn't care if anyone needed him he needed to get the hell out of there and blow off some steam. Perhaps he would hit the gym? He chuckled to himself; there was no way in hell he would be setting foot inside a gym today. He was likely to take his frustrations out on some poor, unsuspecting person and well…that just wouldn't be a good thing.

An odd thought popped into his mind and he wondered where it came from. Surprisingly he was curious what Kagome was doing. Why he was curious, he really didn't know and didn't care to know but the thought was there none the less. Pushing that thought to the back of his mind, he left the office, informed his _secretary_ that he was leaving and made a point to tell her that her services would not be needed for the rest of the week.

~~~~~B~~~~~

"_You have reached the voicemail of Sesshoumaru Ito. I am unavailable at the moment and will return your call at my earliest convenience"_

Kagome listened as Sesshoumaru's voicemail sounded…_again_. She didn't bother to leave a message and flipped her phone closed. It was the third time she had tried to reach him since around 4:00 in the afternoon and she was ready to give up. She didn't need anything really she was just curious when he was going to be home. She was getting ready to make dinner and she wanted to know how much to make. If he was on his way she would happily make enough for the two of them. If he was going to be a while then she would just leave his portion aside. On the off chance that he wasn't going to be there at all then she didn't want to bother. She wasn't there to cater to him but she wouldn't be rude and ignore him either. If they were going to be living together they were going to have to get used to being around one another. Dinner was a nice common thing that they could do together and it was her hope that she could learn a little more about him.

Sango and Miroku hadn't been very forthcoming when she asked what they knew about him. She knew he was a powerful business man but beyond that she knew nothing. She tried to do a little research in her down time this afternoon but they only things she could find were articles from the local gossip blogs. He seemed to have a taste for gorgeous yet unsurprisingly snobbish trust fund princesses. It didn't surprise her really; men like him were rarely seen without some stunning airhead on their arm. She had attended several high profile functions with Kouga and all of the women were the same. They couldn't hold a normal conversation without their brain deciding that it wanted to implode if she used words that were too big for them to comprehend. She often wondered what the appeal was. Sure they were nice to look at but it wasn't always about that. She wasn't attracted to money or power but to compassion and intellect. She wanted someone that was mentally stimulating to her and for a while she thought…

No, she wasn't going to do that to herself again. Kouga was her past and she was moving on from that past. Smiling to herself, she decided that she really didn't care if Sesshoumaru was home or not because it didn't matter. They had plenty of time to get to know each other and there was no reason to rush things.

Right now she wanted to cook herself some dinner, sit out on their patio with a nice glass of wine and enjoy the night air. Smiling again she also foresaw a nice, hot, steamy bath in the near future.

~~~~~B~~~~~

"You're hitting it a little hard tonight you know" the bartender remarked when he poured his highest paying customer yet another drink. He never understood why a man like Sesshoumaru Ito needed to drown his misery in alcohol, in a shitty little dive bar like this of all places, but considering how slow it was tonight he wasn't going to complain; tonight's tip was going to be phenomenal.

"Spare me and pour me another double" Sesshoumaru replied while he quickly downed the drink that had just been placed in front of him. He knew he should have just gone home and passed out but he truly just didn't care at the moment. He wanted to forget the day and this was his way of doing it. He didn't realize how pissed off he was until he sat down at the bar. After his 8th drink he realized just how much of a vapid bitch Kagura really was and how much he was looking forward to crushing her. She wanted to play hard ball did she? Well she was in for the surprise of her life. When he was done with her she wouldn't even be able to get a job as a prostitute at the local whore house. Kami how he hated her right now. In the back of his mind he knew that he shouldn't even be giving this a second thought but his mind had a tendency to focus on the more unpleasant things when he was drunk. His failed relationships, his bastard half-brother, the feeling of disappointment that was always present in his father's eyes when he was younger was all there just under the surface. Fuck he was turning into a truly pathetic being!

"Hey, you alright there Sesshoumaru? You kinda spaced out…"

"Hn…m'fine. Jus' poured me anoter drink and be quietly" he slurred. Damn he was really feeling it.

The bartender narrowed his eyes and decided that the man had, had enough. He hadn't seen him this wrecked ever. Whatever had set him off today had obviously been bad.

"Sorry but I think you've had enough tonight. I'm going to call you a cab, you're going to go home and pass out. Tomorrow you're going to home right after work because I think you need a night off" he told him carefully.

Sesshoumaru scowled; how dare this man tell him what to do? Didn't he know who he was talking to?

Before he could open his mouth to protest two surly looking men approached the bar and stood next to him. Great, just fucking great. He wasn't in the mood to cause a scene because the last thing he needed was to spend a night in jail. The last time that had happened it had been all over the tabloids.

"Hmm…damage?" he stuttered.

"19,850 yen"

Sighing heavily, Sesshoumaru pulled out his wallet and threw a stack of bills on the bar. He had no idea how much was there but it didn't matter; it wasn't like he couldn't afford it.

The bartender counted the stack on the bar and after figuring out what his tip should be he went to hand back the rest.

"Kee it" Sesshoumaru said before he staggered his way off his bar stool and out the door to his waiting taxi. His head was pounding and he was pretty sure that he was seriously going to regret his actions in the morning. Oh well, that was the morning and personally he didn't care about the morning. All he cared about was getting home so he could pop a few aspirin and pass out.

The cab ride was short and before he knew it he was paying the cab driver, probably more than he should have, and slowly making his way inside. The doorman nodded at him but he ignored him. When he reached the elevator he sat back against the wall and did his best to keep the room from spinning. It was a struggle to stay standing and he idly wondered how the hell he was going to make it all the way down the hall to his apartment. When the doors opened, all 8 of them, he stepped forward slowly and fumbled along the wall until he reached what he hoped was his door. Shaky hands extended and it was by some miracle from the Kami above that he managed to slip the key into the lock and open the door.

Things felt different when he walked inside but it was hard to figure out what was wrong. The placed seemed to have acquired a few new additions that he didn't remember purchasing but he didn't care. The only thing on his mind was a shower and bed.

He reached the bathroom door and wondered idly why the door was closed. Why would the door be closed? He never closed any doors because he didn't have a reason to. It didn't matter; he decided before he reached out and turned the knob. Steam and the scent of lavender attacked him as soon as the door was opened and that only caused his confusion to grow. What the fuck was wrong with his bathroom?

Movement to his left drew his attention to the shower where the curtain was just pulled aside. One long, toned leg was extended from the tub followed by another and before he knew it, there was a tall, round in all the right places, wet, naked woman standing in front of him.

_Who the fuck is this? _his mind questioned before the object of said questioned turned and finally noticed his presence.

Kagome stared at Sesshoumaru with her mouth hanging open. _When the hell did he get home and why is he standing there staring at me…_

It hit her then that she was completely naked and soaking wet! She screamed and immediately dove for the towel hanging on the rack.

"What the hell are you doing in here, Sesshoumaru?"


	5. Save Me from Myself

A/N: Thank you to all who read and reviewed. I hope you all continue to enjoy this as much as I enjoy writing it.

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

Save Me from Myself.

Why for the love of all things holy was she staring at him like she was going to murder him? Ever since he had entered the kitchen that morning the air was charged with something that he couldn't quite put his finger on. He hadn't even seen her since yesterday morning so he couldn't understand why she would even have a reason to be mad at him.

Sesshoumaru sighed and stared down at his plate of toast. Apparently Kagome hadn't felt like making him breakfast this morning so he was resigned to his usual diet of crap. He was looking forward to some real food in the hopes that it would settle his stomach. Last night…well last night had not been good that much he could remember. What he couldn't remember was leaving the bar, getting home, getting into bed and he obviously didn't remember smacking his face against anything. Yet the rather large, dark bruise on the side of his cheek told another story. He must have hit something either on his way home or once he was there but for the life of him he just couldn't figure out what it was.

He dared to glance at his roommate only to find that she was still glaring at him harshly. Perhaps he said something idiotic when he arrived home last night?

He gently cleared his throat earning another impressive glare from the woman.

"Is there some reason why you seem to have such malice directed towards me this morning?" he questioned.

"You're seriously going to ask me that? After last night you're lucky that I haven't packed my stuff and left already" she yelled.

After last night? What the hell was she talking about? He didn't even remember talking to her last night. Oh Kami…did they…no it wasn't possible, was it? Sure she was easy on the eyes but she wasn't exactly his type. Still though, perhaps in a moment of weakness on his part they…indulged?

"Don't tell me you don't remember?" she asked him sternly.

"Please, enlighten me my memory seems to be failing me"

Kagome rolled her eyes and took another sip of her coffee.

"Well, I don't know what happened before you came home but when you got here you barged in the bathroom and just stood there while I got out of the shower. Then you threw up on me. But the best had to be when you stumbled back, smacked your face against the door frame and promptly passed out on the floor.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened while his brain went into overload trying to process everything she just told him. It had to be a joke. There was no way that he had gotten so drunk that he would suffer such an indignity as throwing up and passing out. Furthermore, if that was the truth, how the hell did he end up in his bed? There was no way she could have gotten him there.

"If you're wondering how you woke up in bed, yeah I dragged your drunk ass there after I cleaned you up and made sure that you weren't hurt" she told him almost as though she knew what he was thinking.

"There is no way you could have dragged me all the way from that bathroom to my bedroom. You're what, one hundred and ten pounds soaking wet?" he countered.

"Please, I'm a lot tougher than you think I am"

She sighed and stared down at her plate and suddenly realized that she wasn't that hungry. Sure she and all of her friends had, had their share of drunken adventures when they were younger but never in her life had she seen someone so completely out of it before. She almost felt bad for the guy knowing what kind of hangover he was in store for. Almost.

"Honestly Sesshoumaru I don't know what happened to make you drink so much but whatever it was it's not worth it."

Sesshoumaru met her gaze before lowering his eyes again. He was embarrassed there was no denying it. Had he truly sunken so low that he allowed himself to be completely consumed by alcohol? Was that worthless bitch Kagura really worth the shame that could potentially follow him should this information get leaked to the press? He knew, deep down that Kagome wouldn't say anything but what if someone had seen him leave the bar? Damnit! He really did know how to fuck things up sometimes.

"I...apologize for my behavior, Kagome. It was never my intention to cause you undue stress" he said slowly. He wasn't a man to apologize easily. In fact, he never apologized to anyone whether they deserved it or not but in this case…well he owed the woman that much at least.

"It's fine I guess. Just…don't do it again okay? I would hate to have to find another place to live because my roommate has a bad habit of walking in the bathroom when I'm in there regardless if he's aware of it or not"

She offered him a weak smile before getting up to clear her plate from the table.

"I have to get to work and then I'm going to stop and visit my mother and brother when I get off. If you happen to get home before me, there's leftover's in the fridge from last night."

He nodded to her and watched with veiled eyes as she strolled out of the kitchen and out the front door. Something told him that today wasn't going to be a better day than yesterday.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

"Kagome can you grab that new shipment of books from the back?" Shippo called from behind the counter.

"Sure, no problem. I'll get it as soon as I'm finished with this display" she told him with a smile before she turned and went back to rearranging the front display.

The store was unusually busy today but Kagome didn't mind at all. It kept her mind off the events of the previous evening. She had no problem going out and enjoying a few drinks from time to time but the state that Sesshomaru had arrived home in left her mildly concerned. She knew nothing about his personal life or about his life in general but he didn't exactly strike her as the 'Lose all self-control and get wasted' kind of guy. He seemed so reserved and distant so what could have happened to make him do that to himself?

Sighing she decided that she would keep an eye on him. Why she was going to do that, she didn't know but if they were going to be living together they couldn't have any repeat performances like the one they had last night. The image of him ogling her naked body when she stepped from the shower suddenly popped in her mind. She couldn't help the blush that made itself known across her cheeks. His eyes were glued to her the entire time before he lurched and lost the contents of his stomach all over the floor and her. He really did know how to ruin a moment. She hated to admit it but the man was dangerously handsome. Living with him was going to be an interesting affair.

"Kagome are you okay? You kinda zoned out" Shippo asked from behind her.

"Hm? Oh yeah I'm fine, sorry. I didn't sleep well last night so I'm a little flustered today"

"Yeah, living in a new place will do that. You have to get used to new sights and sounds. It'll take you a couple weeks but eventually you'll get settled in."

Kagome smiled and just nodded her head. Her boss really didn't need to know what had her so distracted.

"After you get settled in, Ayame and I want to have you over for dinner again. It's been so long and I know how much you love her cooking" Shippo said with a light nudge to her shoulder.

"Sounds like a good idea to me. I'll let you know when a good time is for me."

"Alright, now don't forget that box in the back. I want to get it out as soon as possible."

Kagome laughed; always the business man.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

"Ito-sama, you have a phone call on line 3 and the documents that you requested are coming through the fax now" his temp secretary said through the intercom.

_At least this one is competent_ he thought bitterly.

"Thank you. Who is on the phone?"

"Oh, your father Ito-sama"

Damnit all to hell! He forgot to tell her the 'rule' concerning phone calls from his family.

"Take a message"

"But he was most insistent—"

"I'm sure he was. Take a message and if he calls again I am unavailable for the rest of the day" he snapped.

He was in no mood to deal with his father today or any day for that matter. He and his father didn't exactly have the greatest relationship. If the truth were told, they didn't have a relationship at all. It wasn't that Sesshoumaru didn't want a relationship with his father but after years of being put behind work, his step-mother, and a half-brother he didn't was to associate with Sesshoumaru stopped trying. He had no reason to try after his mother... He had always done everything that his father asked of him but it never seemed to be enough. When he chose a different career path than his father wanted the distance between them grew to astronomical levels. He moved out of his father's home when he was just 21 and never looked back. It was only within the last 5 years that his father had begun his attempts to repair their broken relationship but Sesshoumaru wasn't having any of it. As far as he was concerned there was nothing left to repair.

Leaning back in his chair, Sesshoumaru glanced at the clock. It was almost time to call it a day and he couldn't be happier. He wanted nothing more than to go home, eat some dinner and crawl into bed. He had one stop to make before he went home and he certainly wasn't looking forward to it but it needed to be done.

Idly, he wondered if Kagome's mood had improved throughout the day. Her wrath was completely justified and if the situation had been reversed he would had reacted exactly as she had. Still, they were getting to know one another and he didn't want her impression of him to be negative. He knew that he wasn't the easiest person to get along with but he wasn't a bad guy either. He preferred his peace and solitude as much as the next person but he wasn't afraid to go out and enjoy himself once in a while. Even he had to admit that he went a little overboard last night though. He needed to make it up to her; he just had to figure out how.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

"I'm pretty sure I told you to take the night off" the bartender said when he glanced up and noticed the tall, silver-haired man standing in front of him.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed at the man's tone but refrained from the comeback he had sitting on the tip of his tongue.

"I am not here for a drink old man" he began slowly. This wasn't easy for him to do but he knew he didn't have a choice.

"I…need to know if I exhibited any questionable behavior last night before I left this establishment?"

The bartender's eyes widened in surprise. Never would he suspect Sesshoumaru to show up and ask a question like that. He had been tending bar there for more years than he could count and the stoic male had been a customer since shortly after he moved into the area. He was cold, aloof and had an air of superiority about him. It was a little difficult for him to see the man acting so…humble. Perhaps he had finally realized that he had a bigger problem than he was willing to admit.

"Your behavior was fine, Ito-sama. You were quiet and secluded like you normally are but if I may be totally honest with you I have never seen you quite so inebriated before. I do believe I cut you off at the right time."

"You…cut me off? I did not leave on my own accord?"

"My dear boy if I had let you, you would have stayed until we closed and then curled up on the bar and waited for the doors to open the following day."

Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed at that statement. Had his altercation with Kagura affected him that much or had it simply been the stress of the day?

"I would like to apologize to you then and give you my thanks for I assume it was through your doing that I arrived home safely."

"It is my job to do so Ito-sama" the man replied with a curt not and a faint smile.

Sesshoumaru turned and was ready to head out the door before the man stopped him.

"Sesshoumaru, whatever it is that is troubling you is not worth putting yourself through what you did last night."

Sesshoumaru said nothing as he exited the bar but the man's words echoed through his mind; that was exactly what Kagome had told him that morning.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

"So, how are you settling in to your new home Kagome?" her mother asked while she prepared tea for the two of them.

"It's really nice. It's quiet and the neighbors seem to keep to themselves well enough."

"And how are you adjusting to living with your roommate? I hope that he is treating you well?"

"Well…I haven't really seen much of him to be honest. I get the impression that he works a lot."

Kagome was not about to tell her mother that said roommate had seen her naked the night before. Those were little details that she was sure her mother would be happier _not _knowing.

"Well I am glad to hear it. And it's nice to see you. You don't come visit nearly enough. I know your brother misses you."

Kagome snorted; Souta didn't miss her he was just hoping that she didn't move back in so he wouldn't have to give up her room.

"When I'm more adjusted to living there, I'd love to have you and Souta over for dinner."

"That would be lovely dear. Just let me know when it's a good time for you and I'll make sure that Souta and I are there."

Kagome smiled. Her mother always managed to put her at ease no matter what was on her mind. Unfortunately the thing that was on her mind right now was Sesshoumaru. Why the hell couldn't she just let go of what happened and move on? If she was rational with herself, the answer would be that she was worried that her roommate had a bit of a problem. Thinking back to that first night last week when Sesshoumaru helped her move her things from Kouga's, she realized that they had consumed almost 3 bottles of wine while they sat out on the balcony. Kagome however, had only 2 glasses. She didn't think anything of it but after last night…she wondered.

"Kagome are you alright? You look like you are a million miles away right now" her mother questioned.

"Hm? Oh I'm fine momma, I didn't sleep well last night and I think it's catching up to me."

"Well, I won't keep you from your sleep. Why don't you head home and I will talk to you tomorrow?"

Kagome nodded before downing the rest of her tea. After saying goodbye to her mother, she hailed a cab and was on her way back home. She wanted to shower, curl up with a good book and sleep like she had never slept before.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

Sesshoumaru stared at the glass on the table trying to decide why he had poured the drink in the first place. He honestly didn't want it, it was just habit to come home and pour himself a drink to unwind from the day. One would become two, then three and finally he would lose count, usually along with his consciousness and the cycle would begin again the following evening. Tonight though…tonight the glass on the table was mocking him.

That thought gave him pause; why should it matter? Why, after so many years of the same routine did he want to change it now? He had a good life and saw no issues with indulging in the privacy of his home. He crossed the room quickly, grabbed the glass, and downed the liquid before he had a chance to change his mind again. The familiar burn of the drink went all the way down his throat before the sense of peace that he was so used to washed over him. He wasn't the one who needed to change; the world around him did. There was nothing wrong with the way he did things and he would be damned if he let anyone tell him differently.

He strolled over to the cabinet and prepared to pour himself another when there was a knock at the door. He wasn't expecting any visitors and he made it clear to building security that Kagura wasn't allowed inside under any circumstances. That left only two choices. One: Kagome had forgotten her key and was locked out or two…

"Oi, asshole I know you're in there open the damn door!" a gruff voice called from the other side.

Bingo, option two!

Groaning, Sesshoumaru set the bottle on the table before he headed for the door. He really wasn't in the mood to deal with this right now but obviously it wasn't going to go away. He pulled the door open and leveled his gaze on the man whose features were not that dissimilar to his own.

"What do you want, Inuyasha?"

"What I need a reason to visit my brother?" Inuyasha replied sarcastically while he pushed his way past his brother.

"Yes, actually you do. You never come here unless you either need something or were _sent_ here by someone else" Sesshoumaru snipped back.

"Yeah alright I did have a reason for coming but that can wait till later. It's been a while since I've been here and we can pretend for a little bit that we give a shit about each other's lives while we catch up" Inuyasha replied while he stepped into the kitchen and pulled a glass from the cabinet. He poured himself a drink and another for his brother but Inuyasha knew that Sesshoumaru was probably three or four drinks ahead of him by this point. He took his customary position at the end of the couch and waited for his brother to join him.

It was no secret that the two of them didn't have the greatest relationship but Inuyasha understood why. When he was younger he could figure out why his brother hated him so much but as he got older he learned the real reasons behind the animosity. If the roles had been reversed, Inuyasha was certain that he would feel the same was as Sesshoumaru did. He was hopeful though, things between them had gotten a little better in the last few years and they could now be in the same room without trying to kill each other. Well, most of the time.

"It's quiet around here, where's Kagura?"

"Hn"

"What'd she do?"

"I caught her fucking someone else in my bed when she believed I was going to be at work late" he seethed.

"Damn that's harsh. How come her shit's still here if you kicked her out?" Inuyasha questioned when he noticed a few decorative items that positively screamed '_I don't belong to Sesshoumaru'_.

"Those…belong to my new roommate" he replied slowly.

"Roommate huh? Is that what they're calling it nowadays?" Inuyasha laughed back.

"I assure you, not that I need to, that she is nothing more than that, Inuyasha and you would do well to remember that."

"Fuck, don't get your panties in a bunch. Damn, Dad was right you do need to lighten up"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed dangerously at his younger sibling.

"What did _he_ send you here for this time, Inuyasha?"

"Huh, that didn't take as long as I thought it would. Basically he's sick of your shit. He knows you tell your secretary to hold his calls, he's tired of his invitations to dinner being ignored and he said to tell you that it's time you start being part of the family."

"Is that so? Where was his sense of family when…you know what it doesn't matter anymore. I have no business with him and you can tell him to stop sending you to do his dirty work because it's only going to make things worse."

"Look man, I don't blame you for being pissed. Really, I don't but let's face it; he's not getting any younger and he's trying to fix the mistakes that he made a long time ago. Maybe it's time to move passed it and give him another chance"

"He has had numerous chances, Inuyasha and I am not inclined to give him anymore."

Sesshoumaru's tone indicated that the conversation was over and so the two brothers were plunged into an uncomfortable silence. Their father was always a topic that neither one wanted to broach but it never failed to come up when they were alone. Inuyasha understood completely where Sesshoumaru was coming from but at the same time he wanted to see the two of them reconnect. He wanted the family that he always dreamed about when he was a child and every day he saw the chances of that happening slip away and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

"How are your wife and daughter?" Sesshoumaru's question broke the tense silence and both silently were extremely thankful for it.

"They're great. Kanna is a fantastic mom, not that I ever doubted that she would be and Shiori gets bigger every day. You should come by sometime you know…get to know your niece a little bit before she grows up and realizes what an asshole you are" Inuyasha teased but he didn't really mean it. Sesshoumaru had seen his daughter twice since she was born and each time her eyes lit up and she smiled at him like she didn't smile at anyone other than her parents.

The jiggling of the door handle drew both men's' attention before it was opened and Kagome stepped through carrying several bags that looked rather heavy. Sesshoumaru rose from the couch and took a few from her earning him a bright smile.

"Thanks! I should have made two trips but…oh I didn't realize you had company" she said when she noticed the other man sitting on the sofa. It was plain to see that the two of them were related but she didn't want to say anything until she was sure.

"Kagome, this is my brother Inuyasha. Inuyasha this is Kagome Higurashi, my new roommate."

Kagome set her bags on the floor and extended her hand in greeting when Inuyasha got off the couch to do the same. Their handshake was brief but that was fine with the two of them.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Inuyasha. I'm sorry that I didn't know you were going to be here or I would have given you both more time alone."

"Feh, don't worry about it. I need to get home anyways" he turned towards his brother and his eyes softened just a little bit "Remember what I said, Sesshoumaru. Let the past lie in the past and keep to the future."

Sesshoumaru nodded but said nothing. He watched in silence while Inuyasha gathered his things and headed for the door.

"Later Wench. Do me a favor and keep his ass-holiness in line for me would you?" Inuyasha laughed before he strolled out the door leaving an irate brother and a perplexed roommate.

"Did he…just call me a wench?" Kagome yelled.

"Do not take him too seriously, Kagome it will only give you a headache and has been known to cause brain damage" Sesshoumaru replied.

She tried not to laugh, she really really did but she couldn't help it. It bubbled deep down inside before it burst forth with vigor.

Sesshoumaru could only look at her with a raised eyebrow while he allowed the light sound of her laughter fill him. It was bright, full of life and a part of him really wanted to join her.

"I-Oh I'm sorry! I don't mean to laugh it's just…"

"It is no bother especially when it's the truth" he deadpanned before heading off to where he put her bags down "Do you need help putting all of this away?"

"Oh, no I've got it. You can go back to whatever it was that you were doing before I got home" she replied before she trotted off toward her bedroom to change.

Sesshoumaru didn't need to be told twice so he poured himself another drink and settled back on the couch. Half an hour later would find him on his fourth drink and Kagome strolling into the living room to join him on the couch. She eyed the drink in his hand quickly but pushed it to the back of her mind for now. They were home and there was nothing she could say to him in his own home.

"So, how was your day?" she asked when the silence became too much for her to take.

"Hn. It was the same as always. And you?" he asked with a touch of bitterness in his tone.

"Oh, it was fine. Busy but that's how I like it. I had a nice visit with my mom too so all in all, it was a pretty good day" she beamed but didn't fail to notice the flash of an emotion pass through his eyes when she brought up her mother.

"Your bother seems…interesting."

"Half-brother actually but that is neither here nor there."

"Oh…sorry I didn't know your parents were divorced"

Sesshoumaru's grip on the glass tightened to the point that he was certain it would shatter. Why now? Why in the name of the Kami did this have to come up at this point in time? He wanted to trust her, he truly did but this was something that he shared with no one and the thought of revealing it to a woman who was still practically a stranger was in one word; frightening.

"Sesshoumaru are you okay? You look a little pale?" Kagome questioned when she noticed that his breathing became a little heavier and his grip on his glass grew tighter.

"I'm fine" he said quietly before he turned to face her completely "My parents…are not divorced."

He drew in a deep breath and forced the pain that had been buried for years as far down as it would go.

"My mother passed away when I was 9."

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru. We-we don't have to talk about it if you don't want" Kagome said nervously. Suddenly she felt very badly about bringing the subject up.

"No…it's…I haven't talked about it in a long time."

"What happened to her?"

His eyes flickered and the words were on the tip of his tongue yet he couldn't seem to get them out. When he looked up and noticed the sincerity in her face shinning back at him he knew that the time was right.

"She was murdered…at the hands of my father."


	6. History Lesson

A/N: Sorry for the long wait again but work has been so busy it's not funny. Thank you to everyone for the wonderful reviews and to whomever nominated this story for the awards last quarter! You all make me smile so much! Thank you all for your continued support of this story and as always reviews are always apreciated!

*Warning: This chapter contains scenes of physical and sexual abuse. If this offends you, please skip it because I will not tolerate flames when you were warned*

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated

History Lessons

The silence that permeated the air was so thick that it could have been cut with a spoon. Kagome sat with her head bowed while she played with her hands nervously. What could she say? There was nothing to say to a statement like that. She was secretly hoping that she had heard him wrong but she knew that wasn't the case.

She lifted her face to look at him only to find that he had stood up and was standing in front of the fireplace. His arms were resting against the mantle and his head was lying on top of them. She knew that it was difficult for him to tell her as much as he did but she was glad that he shared it.

"Sesshoumaru…"she started but she didn't know how to finish.

"It's alright, Kagome. I don't expect you to say anything. It's in the past and there is nothing that can be done about it now" he said softly.

There was so much pain in his voice and it pulled at her heart. She wanted to comfort him because she knew that he didn't get it when he needed it. She wanted to hold him and tell him that it would be alright but she didn't think that he would be very receptive to that idea.

"My father is a proud, stubborn man" Sesshoumaru began slowly. He was trusting her with this tale that he hadn't told a soul in over 20 years.

"My mother, what I remember of her, was an elegant and graceful woman. She was soft spoken and polite when it was required but she was never afraid to hand out the punishment when I misbehaved. Their marriage had never been one for the fantasy books. It was an arranged marriage through their fathers when the two of them were very young and despite the fact that the practice of arranged marriages was outdated, they went along with it anyway. My mother loved him with everything she had but he never loved her. He did his _duty_ and 3 years after they married I was born. She thought that my birth would bring them together but it only drove them further apart. He was never home, he never spent time with her and he only spared a few minutes a day for me."

He took a breath and turned to face her. She was sitting on the couch with her legs tucked under her and her head was resting on her arm. He wanted to smile but he couldn't. He sighed and resumed his place beside her on the couch.

"Through it all, my mother continued to love him despite the fact she knew he couldn't care about either one of us. She put on a brave face for as long as she could until it all came crashing down when she found out he had an affair"

_9 year old Sesshoumaru stepped through the door of his home and immediately sought out his mother. She wasn't waiting for him to get off the school bus like she normally was and he wondered how she could have forgotten about him. She never forgot to pick him up. He ran through the halls of his home and stuck his head in every room but there was still no sign of his mother. Maybe she was taking a nap? He decided to head to the kitchen for his afternoon snack. He was about to step through the doorway when he heard his mother's angry voice sound through the room._

"_You bastard! How could you do this to me?" she yelled._

"_What I do is none of your concern Hitomi it's time you realized that!" his father bellowed back._

"_None of my concern? I'm your wife! Just because you have no respect for this marriage doesn't mean that I am the same as you!"_

"_This discussion is over, I have work to do"_

"_No, it damn well isn't over! I've given you 12 years of my life, I gave you a son. I loved you even though I knew you didn't love me. I was respectful and did everything you asked me to do without complaint. I want to know why?" Hitomi sobbed._

"_You're right, I don't love you and I never will. I only stay with you because our father's want it to be that way. If I decide to fuck someone else there is nothing you can do about it. Be grateful that I haven't thrown you out to live on the streets."_

_Hitomi stepped forward and slapped her husband with everything she had. Sesshoumaru had never seen his parents fight before and he was scared. His mother was crying and his father looked so angry. Maybe if he went into the kitchen and let them know he was there they would stop yelling at one another?_

_He went to step into the kitchen when he heard a violent crash echo through the room. He rounded the corner but stopped short. His mother was on the floor struggling to pull herself up while avoiding the broken glasses that had shattered around her. Her face was bleeding and there were tears streaming down her face. His father was standing over her with a look of pure hatred across his features. _

_Hitomi's eyes widened when she spotted her son standing in the doorway looking stricken._

"_Sesshoumaru…" she whispered._

_His father whipped around and leveled his murderous gaze on his son._

"_Go to your room!" he bellowed._

"_But father…what about—"_

"_I said go to your room, boy! This doesn't concern you!"_

"_Sesshoumaru go to your room and do your homework. I-I'll be up in a minute" Hitomi said in a broken voice._

_Sesshoumaru looked to his mother and lowered his head with a short nod. Reluctantly, he turned and headed for his room._

_Takahiro turned back to his wife when he was certain his son was gone. The worthless bitch at his feet needed to be taught a lesson about where her place was. She was beneath him in every way possible and she thought she could order him around like he was a servant. She was loud, outspoken and often thought that she was irreplaceable because she was his wife. He hadn't thought of her as a wife since the night he married her. He never wanted to marry her to begin with but his father wanted to acquire the company that her father was in charge of. He had been furious when he learned of the marriage contract but for the sake of his father, he went along with it. Yes, she had given him a son but beyond that she had very few uses._

'_Well she has one more use to me tonight' he thought darkly. He stalked over until he was towering above her quivering form. He smirked; this was going to be amusing._

"_Get up" he snarled._

_When she didn't comply, he reached down and pulled her up by her hair only to immediately force her back onto the table. He reached down and ripped the buttons of her blouse open and started roughly rubbing her breasts through her bra._

"_What the hell are you—"she was silenced with a slap._

"_This is what you want isn't it, Hitomi? You are jealous because I give to others what you feel should belong to you and you alone" he bent down low and licked the shell of her ear before lowering his voice in a dangerous whisper "you should be careful what you wish for."_

_He pinned her hands above her head and used his free hand to unbutton her pants and pull them off quickly. His hand went to the button of his own pants and they, along with his boxers soon joined hers on the floor._

_Hitomi could only look on in horror and disgust as a sadistic smirk crossed her husband face before he roughly shoved himself inside her without warning. She fought back the scream of pain that wanted to pass her lips at the intrusion. She was far from being 'ready' and the pain was unbearable. _

_Over and over he slammed himself into her and her body wasn't making it any easier. She was so disgusted with him that even if her body wanted to make the assault easier on her, it couldn't. She never imagined that he could become such a monster but that is exactly what he had done. She knew he didn't love her but for him to be capable of something like this was…unforgivable._

_Takahiro pulled out and flipped her over quickly. He smashed her face into the table and entered her again from behind. If possible, his pace was even quicker and more brutal than it had been a minute ago. He bent low and whispered in her ear again._

"_How does it feel, bitch? You've wanted to feel me inside you again for so long one would think that you would be grateful for the honor I am bestowing on you."_

_Hitomi lifted her face and glared over her shoulder. "I hate you" she seethed._

"_Hate me all you want Hitomi, it doesn't change anything"_

_He slowed his pace just a little before he shifted her around and began to pound into her again. Hitomi's mind shut down and she blocked as much of it out of her thoughts as she could. She prayed that this humiliation would be over soon but somehow she knew it wouldn't be. Her thoughts strayed to her son. Sesshoumaru would never know what kind of man his father was for she would not tell him. He was only 9 and she knew that he idolized his father. She couldn't let him live in this house any longer though. She thought long and hard and she found that her decision was easy. She didn't care about business, she didn't even care about herself; all she cared about that her son was raised in a safe, loving home. Tonight, after her husband left to be with that whore he was seeing she would pack their things and together they would leave._

_Takahiro knew his wife had checked out on him and inwardly he fumed. She was supposed to be learning a lesson not retreating into her mind to escape. He looked down and a wicked idea danced in his mind. He pulled out quickly and lined himself up with the curve of her ass. He smirked when he felt her stiffen but he didn't give her a chance to prepare. He forced his way into the tight hole of her ass and reveled in the pained yelp she let out. It was painful for him too, she was incredibly tight, but he didn't give a damn. She needed to be punished for her disobedience._

_Hitomi knew she was bleeding, she could feel it running down the back of her legs. This was pain like she had never before felt and she knew he was doing it to teach her, her lesson further. She had no energy left to fight him so she simply lay there whimpering and accepting her fate. After tonight it wouldn't matter. She and Sesshoumaru would be gone and he would never find them._

_Takahiro could feel his balls tightening and knew that his end would arrive soon. He increased the speed of his thrusts until he was fucking her so hard the table was bouncing around. One final, deep thrust and he met his end in a powerful orgasm. He didn't bother pulling out and simply flooded her ass with his essence. When he felt his member shrink enough he pulled himself out of her and stepped away. He bent down and grabbed his boxers and pants before he slid them back on casually. Hitomi hadn't moved and he knew that the message had been delivered_

"_Clean yourself up and make sure Sesshoumaru gets fed. I don't think I need to tell you that if you say anything to anyone we'll repeat this little lesson again" he said before he turned and headed out the door that was in the kitchen. Hitomi glared at the door and struggled to pull herself together._

_Neither one noticed the pair of golden eyes that had seen it all, nor did they hear the sound of tiny feet running up the stairs._

_~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~_

_An hour later, Hitomi made her way up the stairs to her sons' bedroom. She had showered and straightened up the kitchen as best she could. She prepared a simple meal for herself and her son and carried it carefully up the winding stair case. She hurt so badly but she put on a brave face; her son deserved that much._

_Balancing the tray on her hand, she knocked lightly on the door._

"_Sesshoumaru? May I come in?"_

_The door was opened immediately and Sesshoumaru's tear stained face came into view. Hitomi set the tray down on the table and embraced her son. Her tiny little boy looked so scared and vulnerable and she knew in that moment that he has seen and heard everything._

"_It's alright Sesshoumaru" she soothed while she stroked his hair lightly._

"_Why…mother…" he sniffed._

"_Do not think on it"_

"_But…he hurt you!"_

"_And he will never do it again"_

"_No, he won't because I won't let him!" the young boy yelled._

_Hitomi smiled. Sesshoumaru truly was the light and joy in her life._

"_My brave little boy. Your mother loves you, you know that right?"_

_Sesshoumaru nodded as a fresh round of tears sprang to his eyes. He loved his mother so much and it hurt him to know that she was in pain. He knew he was too young to understand completely, but he knew enough to know what his father did was wrong. He would protect his mother even if it meant protecting him from his father._

"_Sesshoumaru after we eat…I want you to…pack a bag. Take everything that you can and put it into the suitcase in your closet do you understand? You and I are going to go stay with grandfather for a while alright?"_

"_Why?"_

"_We're going to give your father a chance to calm down." She didn't bother telling him that they were never coming back._

"_Alright mother I can do that. Are you going to tell father where we are going?"_

"_Not right now but we'll call him in a few days."_

_He nodded and quickly went to work on his dinner. Hitomi smiled a sad smile before she excused herself to pack her own bag. She knew her son would pack smart but it didn't really matter. Her father would take care of them and give them whatever they needed until the divorce was finalized and Hitomi got back on her feet. Once upon time, Hitomi had great aspirations to become an artist. She was always told that she had immeasurable talent and it was time that she took that back up._

_Once she had everything that she thought she would need, she tore from her room and ran down the hall to Sesshoumaru. Unfortunately, she failed to notice the light that was on in her husbands' study when she passed. She knocked on Sesshoumaru's door once again and she was happy to find that her son was waiting with his bag in hand._

"_Let's go" she said quietly before she took his hand in hers and pulled him from the room. They made it to the top of the stairs before Hitomi was pulled back violently by the hair._

"_Where the fuck do you think you're going with my son?" Takahiro yelled._

"_I'm taking MY son and we're leaving! I will not allow him to be raised with you as a father. A man who would violate their wife in the manner you did to me doesn't deserve to be a father! You will come to regret the day you crossed me; of this I promise you" she said in a voice so cold and bitter that she surprised herself._

"_You're not going anywhere!" he yelled again before he swung and backhanded her hard. The moment his hand came in contact with her face he realized his greatest mistake. He watched as Hitomi stumbled, reached out for the hand rail and screamed before she tumbled down the stairs. Her body hit the ground with a deafening thud and she didn't move again._

"_Mother!" Sesshoumaru screamed just before he took off down the stairs after her; Takahiro was hot on his heels._

_Sesshoumaru kneeled down beside his mother's bruised and bloodied body and tried desperately to get her to wake up._

"_Mother please! Wake up, please wake up! Mother! Mommy!"_

_~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~_

"Just like that she was gone" Sesshoumaru finished slowly. He turned around and was not surprised to find Kagome's head buried in her hands while she sobbed heavily. What he didn't expect was for Kagome to launch herself off the couch and wrap her arms around him tightly. Her tears continued to flow and soon his shirt was damp where her head was resting. He wrapped his arms around her hesitantly and let her cry.

"I'm sorry…I'm so, so sorry" she whispered between sobs. Of all the things she was expecting him to say, the tale that he told was nothing like she imagined. She was hoping that it was all some tragic accident and by all intensive purposes it was. She didn't truly believe that Sesshoumaru's father intended to kill his wife that night but it had happened.

"It happened a long time ago" he replied quietly.

"I know…it's just…you were so young and she was your mother and the fact that you _saw_ and _heard_ everything…"she trailed off, unable to finish her statement.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and took a slow, deep breath. This was emotionally draining for him and now he had to add an overly emotional woman on top of it. In his own way, he appreciated the fact that she was sad for him. When it happened, there had been little sympathy available from his family. Only his mother's parents seemed to be as affected as he was. The rest of them…

He looked down when Kagome released him and took her seat on the couch once again. He went to the kitchen and poured her a glass of water before he returned to his place by her side. He studied her carefully and was surprised by the affection he felt for her in that moment. He knew, without knowing, that they would end up better friends than either could imagine before this all over.

"What—what happened after? I mean I understand if you don't want to talk about it anymore but…"Kagome questioned quietly.

"There was an investigation of course but in the end it didn't matter. My father is a powerful man, Kagome and behind every powerful man there is an equally powerful team of lawyers. Just because the authorities did not charge him with anything didn't mean that my mother's parents believed it was an accident like they had been told. They went after my father and wanted him charged with murder. They petitioned for my custody and demanded that I was removed from his care" he replied bitterly.

"They didn't succeed did they?"

"No, but it was not for lack of effort on their part. My grandfather put his entire life and business on hold and devoted everything to winning the case. He would have too, if I had been allowed to take the stand."

"What stopped you?"

"My father. He said that the death of mother had been traumatic enough and that they had no right to demand I testify. I was only a child and had no way to choose for myself. In the end, my father's will won out and I was denied the chance to tell them what I saw. "

"So your father…?"

"Still walks free to this day proudly displaying the whore who cost my mother her life on his arm" he seethed.

Kagome went silent because she didn't know what else she could say. Really, there were no words that would take away the pain that Sesshoumaru went through and anything she said would just sound like she pitied him. It was true that she did but something told her that, that was not what he needed.

Sesshoumaru looked at the woman next to him and he would admit, only to himself, that he felt better. This was a tale that hadn't been uttered out loud in over 20 years. He had been carrying around the burden for so long because he never trusted anyone else with it before. Why he trusted this woman, he didn't understand. They barely knew one another and they were in no way friends but…he trusted her. She wouldn't take what he told her and use it against him one day. She wouldn't betray him and go running off to tell her friends that the great Sesshoumaru Ito was flawed and broken. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"Thank you, Kagome" he said so quietly she almost missed it.

"For what?"

"For listening…just listening. I haven't told anyone the story of my mother's death beyond those who were involved. I've been holding it in for as long as I can remember."

"Sometimes it's good to just let go" she replied with a small smile.

He said nothing in return but got off the couch to pour himself another drink. Kagome wanted to scold him for it but she was starting to understand him a little more after tonight. No, she didn't condone the fact that he used alcohol to solve his problems. Well, she couldn't really prove that's what it was but she suspected that it was the case. She wanted to fault him for it, tell him that he was stronger than that but it wasn't her place. She wanted to be his friend and if he was her friend it would make it easy but you didn't go around accusing someone _trying_ to befriend of being an alcoholic.

She would work on him later.

"Can I ask you something?" she said when he sat back down.

"I suppose"

"Do you…do you miss your father at all?"

He turned angry, hardened eyes on her and sneered.

"How can you ask me something like that?" he snapped

"I didn't mean anything by it, it's just…you've been alone since your mother died and I guess I'm just wondering if you miss your family is all."

"I still see my grandparents on a regular basis. I'm actually supposed to meet with them next week. As for my…_father_ I have not spoken to him since I moved out of his house when I turned 21. He makes an attempt at least once a week to talk to me but I don't want to hear anything that he has to say."

"And Inuyasha?"

"I'm sure that it comes as no surprise that Inuyasha and I don't get along well. While my hatred of him is not as fierce as it was when we were younger, I have no use for the boy. He is just another way for my father to worm his way back into my life. He thinks that if he can send Inuyasha here as his personal messenger then it will make things all better."

"So that visit tonight…"

"Was just another way to get close but I'm not the stupid, naïve young child that my father wants to think that I am."

"I don't think I could hate my brother, no matter what he did. He might drive me insane at times but he's still my brother."

"Inuyasha is my half-brother" he corrected.

"I know but he's still your family. It wasn't his fault that his mother and your father got together."

"No, it's not but he is a constant reminder to everything I lost. He was born less than a year after my mother died. My father doted on him like he never did with me. I saw the love and devotion he gave to Izayoi and his new son and it angered me."

"You're jealous."

"Kagome…"

"No, you are. Your father showed Inuyasha the attention that you were always hoping for. He showed Izayoi the love you always wanted him to show your mother. I think deep down inside, you're jealous of Inuyasha and his mother because they have what you've always wanted; the love of your father."

"Are you a psychologist now? I thought you worked in a book store?"he snipped at her.

"I'm not trying to upset you. I'm just saying that maybe you should…talk to your father."

"What? Are you insane? Didn't you listen to anything I said tonight?"he yelled.

Kagome blinked; she didn't even think he was capable of yelling let alone showing any kind of emotion. It was true that she didn't really know him but it was hard to miss the cold persona that he gave off.

"Look, I'm not saying that you have to forgive him; I would never expect you to do that. I'd question your sanity if you did. But I think you need to tell him how you feel. He's just going to keep trying to get you to forgive him because he doesn't know how deep your pain really goes. You need to make him understand that he hurt you."

"My silence should be enough for him to understand that I despise him."

Kagome smiled, he still didn't get it "Sometimes people, parents especially, need to be told how their children feel."

Sesshoumaru sat back and sighed. What she said wasn't completely wrong. He had never once told his father how it affected him. After his mother was gone he spent as little time around his father as possible because he just didn't trust the man anymore. He felt that everything he had ever told him was a lie and he refused to be a part of his father's games. When Inuyasha was born and he saw how his father treated him and that woman he married, his hatred grew to unparalleled proportions. He never bothered to hell his father this because he assumed he knew. Perhaps…it was something to think on.

"I will…consider what you have said" he told her softly.

She reached out for his hand and gave it a light squeeze. He didn't return the gesture but she knew that it was appreciated. She wanted to continue to get him to open up but unfortunately her bladder decided now was a good time to be emptied. She pulled her hand away and excused herself.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and realized for the first time tonight how tired he really was. He hadn't slept well and it had been a very trying day. He glanced at the clock and noticed that it was well after midnight. He needed to be up early for a meeting but he just didn't want to move. When Kagome got out of the bathroom he would say goodnight and start again tomorrow.

For now he was just going to sit with his eyes closed and think.

Kagome emerged from the bathroom and made her way to the couch. She sat down with a plop and turned to Sesshoumaru once more. She smiled at him when she realized he was asleep. He looked so peaceful and content and she couldn't bring it within herself to wake him. She didn't want to leave him sitting upright on the couch all night but she was afraid to move him. If she could just get him to lie down, she could cover him with a blanket and let him sleep.

Hesitantly she reached over and started to pull him down. He moved easier than she thought he would but she was unprepared when his head came in contact with her legs. She froze, thinking she would wake him if she moved him any further.

_Great…what am I going to do now _she thought to herself. Deciding it was best to just let him be she grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and covered them both as much as she could. Sesshoumaru groaned and buried himself deeper against her leg. Realizing that she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon, Kagome did what she could to get comfortable.

She would deal with the consequences of sleeping like this in the morning.


	7. Unexpected Encounters

A/N: Thank you for your patience with my slow updates. Work has been insane. Thank you also to those who nominated this story in the 3rd quarter Dokuga awards. I am truly humbled. Thanks to those who read and reviewed and as always, reviews are greatly appreciated.

Also, enjoy the limey goodnes in this chapter :)

I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters associated.

Unexpected Encounters

Time is eternal and never changing. Despite the fact that some days seem to move faster than others, time itself does not change. It is one of the few constants in the universe beyond life and death. For Kagome, time seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye. The book store she worked at was busier than ever and her days seemed to run together.

For Sesshoumaru, time stood still. Life became a tedious routine of work, sleep, work, sleep and so on. Surprisingly, one of the only bright spots in his life was coming home to Kagome every day. They settled in to a comfortable cohabitation in the five months that she lived with him. Most mornings she made breakfast and he came home to a home cooked dinner almost every night. He hated to admit it, but she was the closest thing to a friend that he had.

Sesshoumaru had always been a solitary being who found the company of others to be uncomfortable. Others found him to be cold and often times a little too arrogant for their tastes and so he never managed to get close to anyone. While he wouldn't say that the two of them were on the path to becoming the best of friends, he knew that he could tell her anything and she would offer her opinion without being judgmental. She overlooked his faults, not that he would admit to anyone that he had any, and she genuinely seemed to care about his happiness.

It was…odd. No one had really cared about his wellbeing since…

Pushing that thought aside, Sesshoumaru looked up at flight status board and sighed. He still had a few hours to go before his flight was leaving. His latest trip to London was long and exhausting but it was profitable. He was confident that the merger would happen and with that came the thought of the promotion that he was hoping for. He worked tirelessly for over a year to ensure that everything associated with the merger was perfect and now it was time for his reward. Hell, after all was said and done he might actually decide to take a vacation.

Scratch that.

Despite the fact that Sesshoumaru hated being in the company of others, vacations just weren't as much fun if you went on them alone. Sure it was relaxing and he could definitely use the peace and quiet but something about sitting on a beach on some tropical island alone didn't feel right to him.

_Oh well_ he thought before he closed his eyes.

_I wonder what Kagome is doing…_

_~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~_

Kagome tried not to laugh but watching Inuyasha try to remove all of the baby food that his daughter had thrown into his hair was priceless. She looked over at Kanna who wasn't even trying to hide her amusement and she broke down.

Inuyasha scowled at the two women laughing at him before turning his back on them. He never should have introduced them to one another. They had clicked immediately and now formed a very powerful team against him.

_I'm so screwed_ he thought to himself.

"If you two are done laughing at my expense, do you think one of you could come help me?"

"Oh Yasha, why would we do that? You seem to be doing just fine on your own." Kanna replied while still laughing.

Normally a quiet and reserved individual, Kanna came to life when she was around Kagome. Her personality brought out the best in everyone she met, including her husband's brother.

The changes were subtle, but Kanna noticed a definite change in Sesshoumaru since Kagome moved in. Yes, he was still cold and distant but on the few occasions that the four of them were together he was more relaxed and dare she say it, content, than she had ever seen him before. Secretly she was hoping that the two of them became a couple because she couldn't imagine a more perfect fit. They were complete opposites but they worked.

"So, how has life been without Sesshoumaru around?" Kanna asked.

Kagome smiled sadly. Sesshoumaru had been gone for 3 weeks and she found herself almost missing him. They weren't extremely close but the _relationship_ they had was comfortable. They spent many nights sitting on the couch either talking, well she did most of the talking, or watching a movie. She told him all about her life growing up in a shrine and how it was a struggle sometimes to even make ends meet. They talked about nothing and everything at the same time. She told him how the death of her father devastated her but didn't go into details on what happened. She even talked a little about her relationship with Kouga and how it went from fairy tale to horror in just a few short months.

It was nice to let someone else in instead of just relying on Miroku and Sango to deal with all of her problems. Speaking of the dynamic duo, she needed to give them a call and see if they were free for dinner.

"It's been pretty quiet honestly. Sesshoumaru might not be the world's biggest talker, but he's a good listener. It's weird…there are a lot of days where we don't say anything more than 'Hello' and 'Goodbye' to each other but the nights where we actually have more than 5 minutes to talk are nice."

"There is nothing _nice_ about my brother, Kagome. Haven't I taught you anything about him?" Inuyasha replied from the kitchen.

"Just because the two of you don't get along doesn't mean he's a jerk to everyone."

Both Kanna and Inuyasha narrowed their eyes at her and Kagome had to fight back another round of giggles.

"Okay, so maybe he is but he's not to me. I think he's just…misunderstood."

"Misunderstood my ass,"

"Yasha!" Kanna growled.

"Sorry, sorry! It's not like she can understand me yet!"

"I wouldn't want to be you when the first f-bomb comes out of her mouth Inuyasha."

Kagome smiled when his face paled.

"So, when is he going to be home?"

"I have no idea actually. I thought he was coming home today but I've only talked to him twice since he's been gone."

"Typical," Inuyasha mutter.

Kagome shot him an angry glare but decided to let it go. She knew they didn't get along and she knew the reason why but she didn't have to like it. It was hard for her to think of a family that was so torn apart like the Ito family seemed to be. She wanted to help them but she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that some things just couldn't be fixed.

"Yasha, we should head home. It's almost time to put Shiori to bed and she definitely needs a bath." Kanna said while she got up from the couch.

"Yeah, alright. You need anything before we leave?" he asked Kagome.

"Nope, I'm good. You two go home and have a good night."

She hugged them both saw them out. They really were great people and she was happy to have made two new friends.

Smiling to herself, she turned and made her way to the bathroom. She wanted a nice hot bath to relax away her day. She undressed and slipped on her favorite sheer silk robe. There was definitely an advantage to being alone in the apartment. Once the tub was filled she lowered herself into the hot water and leaned back against the cool tile.

Kagome took her time and enjoyed the peace and quiet of the apartment. Sure, it had definitely been lonely without her roommate but she wasn't about to complain about the quiet. She drifted in and out of consciousness for about an hour before deciding it was time to get out. She had just slipped her robe back on when there was a knock at the door.

Frowning, she quickly scrambled to find another robe to cover her while the knocking became louder.

"Just a second!" she called out from the bathroom.

She dashed out of the room and ran to the living room. Quickly she unlocked the door and pulled it open, completely unprepared for what or rather whom she saw standing on the other side of the door.

The narrowed, piercing golden eyes and short silver hair were a dead giveaway. He was almost as tall as Sesshoumaru but not nearly as broad and muscular. She could see a little bit of both brothers in the man who stood before her.

She wanted to hate this man for everything that he had done to Sesshoumaru but hating someone just wasn't in Kagome's nature. Hell she didn't even truly hate Kouga despite what he did to her.

Takahiro Ito let his gaze linger on the woman standing in front of him. He wasn't expecting a woman and second guessed himself for a moment; perhaps he had the wrong apartment after all. She looked fresh from a shower and he felt bad for disturbing her.

"Forgive me," his deep voice, so like Sesshoumaru's, began "It would seem that I have the wrong apart—"

"He's not home." Kagome snipped cutting him off.

"Excuse me?"

"Sesshoumaru, he's not home. He's away on business. I don't know when he'll be back."

"I see. May I…come in for a moment Miss…?"

"Higurashi, and I don't think that is very appropriate nor do I think that your son would appreciate it."

Takahiro closed his eyes and sighed. He wasn't surprised really. He knew for a fact that Sesshoumaru wouldn't hide what happened in the past from his lover.

"I understand that my being here is not something that either of you would wish for but I cannot take his silence any longer."

"Can you honestly say that you blame him?"

"No, I don't blame him I blame myself. I made mistakes, too many to count, where my son is concerned but I have been trying to fix them."

"Some mistakes can't be fixed. Some hurts are too great to ever overcome. Sesshoumaru likes to put on a brave front and pretend like the past doesn't bother him but it does. I see it every time we're out in public when he spies a father and son together. There is so much pain in his eyes when he sees the love that a father and son are supposed to share. You've hurt him so much and you have no right to force your presence on him."

Takahiro took a step back at the angry woman's words. He wouldn't argue with her; he couldn't. Everything she said was true but he was determined to fix the mess he created over twenty five years ago.

"Despite what he thinks, I love my son very much Miss Higurashi. I won't make excuses for what I did and the Kami's know that I regret them every day but I cannot change what happened. I don't expect Sesshoumaru to ever forgive me but I…" Takahiro trailed off and lowered his head. It was a mistake coming here.

"I should go. I'm sorry for disturbing your evening Miss Higurashi. It is probably best if you do not tell Sesshoumaru that I was here."

With that, the elder Ito turned and headed down the hall. Kagome watched him go and she felt a small amount of pity for the man. But that pity quickly turned to anger and she was unable to stop her mouth once she opened it.

"I don't think you truly regret what happened and the only reason you're trying to make amends with Sesshoumaru is so your guilty conscience can be clear" she spat venomously.

Takahiro spun and pinned the woman with a deadly glare, "How dare you? Do you honestly think me so heartless that I wouldn't regret killing the mother of my son? What kind of man do you think I am?" he snarled.

Kagome pulled her robe tighter to her but held her ground. She would not be intimidated by this man no matter what.

"I don't think you are a man. You are a _monster_ who should be rotting in a prison cell right now."

Before he could reply, she turned and slammed the door shut in his face. She slid to the floor and leaned back against the door. She tried to stop the tears that trickled down her face but she couldn't. She sat there and cried until she had no more tears left to shed.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

Something was definitely _wrong _but for the life of him, Sesshoumaru just couldn't figure it out. He returned home late the evening before to a silent, empty feeling apartment. The air was stale and the entire place felt cold. His home hadn't felt like this since before Kagome moved in. He wondered where she was and was surprised to not find her sitting on the couch under the blankets with a book in her hands. Yes it was late but he knew she was often up well into the evening reading or watching some television.

He crossed the room quickly and opened the door to her bedroom. He scanned the room before his eyes landed on the lump in her bed. She was curled up in a tight ball with her back to him. She looked uncomfortable and her sleep seemed restless. He frowned and gave her a pointed look before he slipped silently out of the room.

Things didn't change much from the time Sesshoumaru went to bed till now. The only difference was that Kagome was awake. Well, her eyes were open and she was moving but she was anything but awake. Her eyes were red and puffy and her entire demeanor was sullen and he found that it…bothered him.

"Kagome?" he called softly.

She startled and lifted her eyes to his. She fought back her tears fiercely; she didn't want him to know that his father was here because she knew it would only upset him.

Sesshoumaru stood and moved until he was standing in front of her. He kneeled down and gently moved his hand under her chin to lift her face.

"What's wrong?"

"N-nothing. I just didn't sleep well," she mumbled.

"You are a terrible liar, Kagome."

She looked up at him and smiled, "I'm alright, really I just have a lot on my mind today."

He could tell that she didn't want to talk so he decided to let it go.

"If you're sure…?"

"I'm sure," she replied quietly

He nodded and let the subject drop. If she didn't want to share he wouldn't push her.

"Do you have to work today?" he asked hoping to change the subject.

"Yeah then I'm meeting Miroku and Sango for dinner. I didn't know when you were going to be home, but you're welcome to join us. I'm sure they won't mind at all."

He thought for a moment before an idea popped into his head.

"Actually, I have a better idea. Why don't we all go out to that new night club downtown? I can even see if Inuyasha and Kanna can be persuaded to join us."

Kagome hesitated. While the idea did have some merit, Kagome wasn't sure she wanted to be around so many people.

"I-I don't know, Sesshoumaru."

"When was the last time you had some real, genuine fun Kagome? You get up, go to work, occasionally have a quiet dinner with your friends or your mother but most of the time you come home and sit on the couch until you're ready for bed. Where is the harm if you take a night for yourself to let loose?"

_Well when he puts it like that, he makes it sound like I'm some old spinster. _

"Well I guess I can't argue with your logic on this," she frowned.

"I promise you'll have a good time Kagome.

"You don't strike me as the 'night club type of guy' you know."

"It's true that I do not normally frequent those types of places but once in a while isn't going to hurt anything."

She sighed, "Alright, I'll give Miroku and Sango a call. What time should I tell them?"

"Seven would be good. We can all eat upstairs in the restaurant before we go down and enjoy the club."

Kagome nodded and stood up. She still had to get ready for work and now she had to find something to wear. Just as she was about to leave the kitchen, Sesshoumaru reached out and lightly grabbed her wrist.

"Smile for me today, okay? I'm not used to you being so melancholy."

She did smile for him, even if it didn't truly reach her eyes.

"I'll see you when I get home," she said before she departed to begin her day.

Sesshoumaru remained for only a few minutes longer before he too finished getting ready and prepared for what was sure to be an eventful day.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

"Sango, I can't possibly wear this!" Kagome cried as she looked at herself in the mirror.

"Why not? I think you look amazing." Sango replied while she continued to fix her hair.

"But…it's too tight and well…short and…"

"Kagome stop it. You look incredible so stop fussing and finish getting ready or we're going to make everyone else late."

Kagome huffed but turned to give herself another once over in the mirror. Yes, the dress did fit her but it fit a little too well. It clung to her body like it was part of her skin and highlighted all of her usually hidden features. The deep burgundy color was complimentary to her complexion and it was enhanced by the minimal amount of makeup she wore. Her hair was down in soft curls but held away from her face by some simply pins. If she really took a minute to look at herself, she would see a beautiful seductress staring back at her.

Zipping up her knee length black boots and giving her hair one last fluff for good measure, Kagome proclaimed herself ready to go. She grabbed her clutch and her coat before both she and Sango headed out of the bedroom.

Inuyasha was pacing in the living room while Miroku, Sesshoumaru and Kanna lounged on the couch. He looked up when the two women emerged from the room.

"Finally! Do you always take this long?" he complained.

"Quit your bellowing, Inuyasha we didn't take that long." Kagome replied with a scowl on her face.

"Keh, whatever wench. Are we going or not?"

Everyone nodded and started to gather the last of their things before they left. Sesshoumaru, who hadn't taken his eyes off Kagome since she entered the room, was startled when the soft hand of his sister in-law landed on his arm.

"You're drooling." Kanna whispered with a slight giggle.

He scoffed and moved to put on his jacket. His eyes danced in Kagome's direction again quickly when no one was looking. He always thought that she was pretty, if not a little plain, but seeing her dressed like that…

He shook his head; it was going to be a long night.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

The nightclub was packed and part of him wished that they could have stayed upstairs in the restaurant the entire evening. While he knew that this place would be busy he never expected it to be this packed. His group had been lucky to get downstairs when they did so they could claim a table large enough to accommodate all six of them. It was close to the dance floor and they had a nice view of the entire place.

Sesshoumaru was quickly reminded why he usually avoided places like this though. It was loud, the drinks were over priced and anyone who thought they were someone in the world was inside. He had seen several people he knew but wished he didn't from his perch at the table. Thankfully they all either didn't notice him or avoided him; he wasn't known for being social.

_At least the drinks are good_ he thought as he downed another one.

"Shouldn't you slow down?" Inuyasha asked from across the table. While he knew his brother had a bit of a…problem, he was astounded by the guy's tolerance.

"Hn…I think I would know better than you, Inuyasha if I have had enough or not," he snapped back.

"Whatever asshole, just remember you're here to have a good time, not get shit-faced and pass out. I sure as fuck ain't picking your ass up if you do."

"Are you always this crude or is it something your reserve specifically for me?"

Before Inuyasha could answer him, the girls followed by Miroku returned to the table looking hot and sweaty.

Once a fresh round of drinks was ordered everyone sat back to cool off. Kagome looked towards Sesshoumaru and smiled lightly. She knew this wasn't his type of place and truthfully it wasn't hers either but she was having a great time. Sure the place was a little crowded but that didn't make her time there any less enjoyable.

Kagome looked towards Sesshoumaru again and took a moment to really take in his appearance. She was so used to seeing him in expensive business suits, even when they were at home, that his tailored pants and polo shirt almost seemed out of place on him. His hair was pulled away from his face in a low ponytail instead of loose like he normally wore it. She would admit to no one but herself that he looked good like that. He was relaxed and the normal everyday stress of the world wasn't weighing so heavily on his shoulders.

"Are you having a good time?" he asked, bringing her out of her silent appreciation.

"Yes, very much. Are you?"

"Hn."

Kagome giggled, "So, in other words, you're not. This _was_ your idea you know."

"I am aware of that Kagome."

"So, why aren't you having fun? You told me that I needed to loosen up and let go, why can't you?"

Sesshoumaru looked away when he couldn't find an answer for her. She was right just like she normally was. He was here to have a good time but…

"Well when you decide that you want to start having fun you let me know. I'm going to go back to dancing." Kagome said before she stood up, grabbed Sango and Kanna, and left for the dance floor.

"You are such a fucking idiot." Inuyasha laughed.

"Watch your mouth you uncouth bastard." Sesshoumaru snapped back.

"Dude, she was eyeing you like a piece of candy that she wanted to suck on for a while."

"Don't be ridiculous. We are friends, nothing more."

"Keep telling yourself that but I know what I saw."

Sesshoumaru shot Inuyasha a glare that could have killed but his brother just laughed in his face and walked away to join his wife on the dance floor.

He turned to Miroku who gave him a knowing smirk before he too abandoned him to join the ladies on the dance floor.

He spied Kagome out of the corner of his eye and couldn't help the groan that escaped him. She was flushed, sweating and undeniably sexy.

Things just weren't going to be the same between them after tonight.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

Two hours and too many drinks to count later, Sesshoumaru was definitely ready to bash his head against the closest wall. There was no doubt that he was sufficiently drunk but then again so was everyone else around him. If he thought the place was packed before it was twice as bad now. Everyone in their little group had sought refuge at the table but it didn't dampen their spirits. Everyone was laughing and joking and sharing stories of their past misadventures.

"Man, I haven't thought about that in so many years." Miroku laughed.

"We did have some really good times when we were young and stupid." Kagome replied.

"How long have you all known each other?" Kanna asked.

"Well, Sango and I have been friends since we were both in diapers and we both met Miroku on our first day of kindergarten."

Sango snorted, "Yep, he walked right up to me and proclaimed to everyone that I was the love of his life and I was going to give him twenty babies."

Everyone, including Sesshoumaru, laughed until their sides hurt.

"I wasn't wrong," Miroku began once everyone calmed down, "You are the love of my life and you will be having at least twenty children."

"I don't know about you guys but I could use some air, it's getting a little stuffy in here." Inuyasha said while he stood up.

Everyone but Kagome and Sesshoumaru got up from the table. Both said that they were fine where they were and would wait for everyone to return. They settled into a comfortable silence before Kagome turned and placed her hand on his arm.

"Thanks for tonight. You were right, I did need to get out and have a little fun."

"I'm glad you're having a good time, Kagome."

"I'm going to regret it in the morning; I haven't been this drunk in a long time."

"There's aspirin under the sink in my bathroom." he laughed.

She laughed back and the sound was music to his ears. She looked up and found him staring at her with a look she had never before seen on his face. It was heated and full of promises she knew she shouldn't ask of him.

"Dance with me." he said simply.

Kagome didn't hesitate, something that surprised her, and let him lead her to the dance floor. It was still heavily crowded and Sesshoumaru didn't think twice before he pulled her close to his body. His hands settled on her hips and together they moved their bodies' in time with the music.

Kagome thought that it was going to be awkward between the two of them but she found that she was comfortable in his hold. She was surprised at how well their bodies fit together. Her head was tucked perfectly just under his chin and she resisted the urge to lay her head on his chest. Maybe, just for tonight, she could pretend.

The music changed and their dance became something slow and sensual. Neither one really noticed the change until someone bumped into them causing Kagome to throw her arms around his neck to steady herself. If possible, her body was pressed even tighter to his and the heat radiating off of him was astounding. She looked up and was about to apologize and move away but his eyes told her all she needed to know. He didn't have a problem with it.

If she was honest with herself she didn't mind it either. She felt safe with him and she trusted him more than she trusted most people in her life. It was strange, considering that only a few months ago they were strangers who simply occupied the same living space. She had always found him to be a very attractive man and she wondered idly what he thought of her.

Sesshoumaru noticed that her eyes took on a faraway look and he was curious as to what she was thinking about. He was having trouble concentrating himself with her pressed against him so intimately. It was doing things to his body that he wasn't expecting at all. She was gorgeous, there was no point in denying that now but did he really want to cross that bridge with her?

He lowered his face until he was inches away from her ear, "What are you thinking, Kagome?"

"I…it's nothing important," she replied back.

Slowly his hands left her hips and travelled up her bare back. The action caused Kagome to shiver and she did nothing to try and hide it. He stopped when he reached the mass that was her dark hair. He hesitated for only a moment before he tangled his fingers in her silky tresses. He used gentle force to tilt her head to the side before he nibbled lightly on her ear lobe.

Kagome whimpered lightly and that was all it took for their well practiced control to snap. Before he could change his mind, Sesshoumaru leaned over and claimed her lips in a kiss that was wild and carefree. Kagome was surprised but she didn't pull away. Instead she shut off the rational part of her brain that was telling her to stop and went with what she was feeling.

The world around them faded away until there was nothing left but them. They were locked in a dangerous game of seduction but at the moment, neither one cared. Their tongues fought for control while their hands roamed as much of the other's body as they could. When breathing became a necessity, Sesshoumaru pulled back slightly only to begin kissing her jaw. His mouth left a sensual trail as he traveled from her jaw and down her neck until he reached the top of her breasts.

Kagome moaned lightly when his hands came up to massage them through her dress. Suddenly, her dress was the most annoying piece of clothing she owned. Oh how she wanted to toss the offending article of clothing aside and give him access to what he so obviously desired. Thankfully, there was still a small part of her brain that was still functioning that reminded her that it was probably not a good idea to do that.

Still, it sounded like fun.

Sesshoumaru carefully maneuvered them until he had Kagome leaning against a pole at the edge of the dance floor. He moved his hands from her breasts and slid them down to her firm, round ass. He gave each cheek a gentle squeeze before he lifted her off the ground. She immediately wrapped her legs around his waist and gasped when his impressive erection pressed against her thigh.

He bent down low to nibble on her ear again while he ground his hips against her.

"Tell me what you want," he whispered in her ear.

"I…I don't…Kami just touch me," she begged.

He smirked and moved his left hand off her ass and let it come to rest on her inner thigh. His fingers began to dance their way up to her core and he was surprised by what he found.

"Such a naughty girl, Kagome," he teased as his fingers lightly tickled her uncovered folds.

_So, the little minx went without under garments tonight_ he thought before he inserted one finger into her hot, wet heat.

Kagome tensed immediately but relaxed once the pleasurable sensations took over. While she was slightly horrified that they were actually doing this in the middle of a crowded dance floor, she didn't let it show on her face. She wanted to enjoy this and nothing was going to stop her.

Sesshomaru inserted another finger and established a rhythm that was neither too fast nor too slow. He wanted to savor this moment for as long as he could. His cock twitched painfully at the thought of shoving her against the wall in the corner and fucking her right then and there.

They needed to leave soon before that thought became a reality. If she was that tight around his fingers he couldn't imagine how she would feel wrapped around his hard length. He couldn't wait to pin her beneath him and fuck her until she couldn't take any more.

He groaned and moved his fingers quicker while he buried his face against her neck.

"We should leave," he told her.

Kagome was close, so close and the thought of his stopping now…It had been so long since she last knew the touch of a man and she needed this release desperately.

"Don't…please don't stop," she pleaded and he was all too happy to comply with her demands.

Higher and higher he brought her until he could feel the first fluttering of her slick walls against his fingers. He inserted a third and slowly began to circle her clit. It was almost too much for her to handle and it took everything in her power to not cry out in ecstasy.

She was so close and he knew it wouldn't be long know. He started to lean down to kiss her again but unfortunately he never made it. Someone came crashing into them both from the side and it took some quick action on his part to keep Kagome from tumbling to the ground. He held her steady while glaring at the woman who had interrupted their moment.

Kagome shook her head and tried to clear her lust filled mind. When she was certain that she wasn't going to fall she realized what had just happened. If they hadn't stopped she had no doubt that she would have let him fuck her right there on the dance floor. She took a step back but couldn't bring herself to look at him. She was ashamed at the way she behaved.

Sesshoumaru saw the apprehension filling her eyes and he wanted to kick himself for it. He wouldn't deny that he wanted her but not like this. They were both drunk out of their minds and he knew that, while it would have been highly enjoyable, they both would have woken up and regretted it very much.

"Kagome…"he began but she cut him off.

"I'm sorry…I just…I can't," she replied before she shrugged herself out of his hold and headed towards the bathroom.

He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. It was time to get the hell out of here before anything else happened.

~~~~~~~~~~B~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome stood in front of the sink and splashed some cold water on her face. She was dizzy and slightly disoriented and she really just wanted to go home and sleep off the massive hangover she knew she was going to have. Hopefully Sesshomaru wouldn't have any problems with leaving.

She exited the bathroom and started to make her way towards their table but she only made it a few steps before she was violently pulled back by her hair and thrown against the wall. The impact knocked the breath from her and she started coughing.

"Just who the fuck do you think you are you stupid bitch?" an angry, female voice sneered.

Kagome looked up to see a beautiful, dark haired woman glaring at her with hatred dancing in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" she managed to squeak out.

"It doesn't matter who I am you slut. Stay the hell away from Sesshoumaru."

Stay away from Sesshomaru? Who the hell was this woman?

"Look, Sesshoumaru and I are friends and I'll hang around him if I want to whether you like it or not."

The woman laughed, "Listen up little girl. Sesshoumaru doesn't have time to waste on whores that he picks up at the club. Once he's done with you he'll come back to me on his hands and knees begging for another chance and I won't have you getting in my way."

Was this woman insane?

"Aren't you a little full of yourself?" she spat.

She didn't register that the woman's hand was moving until it connected with the side of her face. It hurt, Kami it hurt like hell but Kagome stood her ground. She was about to move forward when Sesshoumaru's tall, silver haired frame blocked her.

"You need to leave Kagura before I make you."

"Is this piece of trash what you thought you could replace me with, Sesshoumaru? Kami, I knew you were stupid but I didn't think you were that desperate that you would fuck the first thing that came along."

Sesshoumaru felt Kagome stiffen behind him but he kept his eyes focused on Kagura. He saw the entire confrontation but the crowd of people who gathered to watch the spectacle blocked his path.

"I said leave before I have you arrested," he snarled.

"Fine. When you're done with that one, I'll be waiting for you."

She turned and the crowd parted to let her pass. Sesshoumaru turned and looked at Kagome. He could already see the beginnings of a bruise from where Kagura slapped her.

"Are you alright?" he asked carefully.

She nodded but didn't meet his gaze. She would ask questions later. Right now she just wanted to get out of here.

"Take me home Sesshoumaru."

He led her through the crowd of people until he reached their table. Their friends were waiting anxiously but Kagome silenced them all with a look that said she just needed to go. Sesshoumaru grabbed her coat and purse and together they left the club and headed for Sesshoumaru's car.

The air was thick with tension that neither one knew how to break. So many things happened in one night that had drastically changed the dynamics of their _relationship_.

Not a single word was spoken on the drive home but one, similar thought was running through both of their minds. Where do we go from here?


End file.
